n.
- A struggle for superiority or victory between rivals.
- A competition, especially one in which entrants perform separately and are rated by judges. See synonyms at conflict.
v., -test·ed, -test·ing, -tests. (kən-tĕst', kŏn'tĕst') v.tr.
- To compete or strive for.
- To call into question and take an active stand against; dispute or challenge: contest a will. See synonyms at oppose.
To struggle or compete; contend: contested with other bidders for the antique.
[Probably from French conteste, from contester, to dispute, from Old French, to call to witness, from Latin contestārī : com-, com- + testis, witness.]
contestable con·test'a·ble adj.contestation con'tes·ta'tion (kŏn'tĕ-stā'shən) n.
contester con·test'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.