controversial

/kɑntrəˈvʌrʃəl/

/kɒntrəˈvʌʃəl/

If a politician ran for office on the platform that children should be put to work from age six, his platform is likely to be controversial, meaning it will cause controversy, or a long discussion among people with opposing opinions.

Controversies are usually public disagreements about important matters. The adjective controversial is from the Latin from controversus "disputed," formed from the prefix contra- "against" plus versus, from vertere "to turn." The Latin suffix –ialis, corresponding to the English suffixes –ial and –al, means "relating to or characterized by."

Definitions of controversial

1. adjective

   marked by or capable of arousing controversy
   “the issue of the death penalty is highly controversial”

   “Rushdie's controversial book”

   “a controversial decision on affirmative action”

   synonyms:

   arguable, debatable, disputable, moot

   open to argument or debate

   contentious

   involving or likely to cause controversy

   disputed

   subject to disagreement and debate

   polemic, polemical

   of or involving dispute or controversy

   antonyms:

   uncontroversial

   not likely to arouse controversy

   unchallengeable

   not open to challenge

   unchallenged, undisputed, undoubted, unquestioned

   generally agreed upon; not subject to dispute

   agreed upon, stipulatory

   constituted or contracted by stipulation or agreement