Controversy

n.	1.	Contention; dispute; debate; discussion; agitation of contrary opinions. This left no room for controversy about the title. - Locke. A dispute is commonly oral, and a controversy in writing. - Johnson.
	2.	Quarrel; strife; cause of variance; difference. The Lord hath a controversy with the nations. - Jer. xxv. 31.
	3.	A suit in law or equity; a question of right. When any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment. - 2 Sam. xv. 2.

Noun

1.

controversy - a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement; "they were involved in a violent argument" Synonyms: contestation, disceptation, arguing, argument, contention, disputation, tilt

CONTROVERSY. A dispute arising between two or more persons. It differs from case, which includes all suits criminal as well as civil; whereas controversy is a civil and not a criminal proceeding. 2 Dall. R. 419, 431, 432; 1 Tuck. Bl. Com. App. 420, 421; Story, Const. Sec. 1668.
     2. By the constitution of the United States the judicial power shall extend to controversies to which the United States shall be a party. Art. 2, 1. The meaning to be attached to the word controversy in the constitution, is that above given.

Kilkenny cats, altercation, antagonism, apologetics, apologia, apology, argument, argumentation, bicker, bickering, blood feud, brawl, broil, casuistry, cat-and-dog life, clashing, combat, conflict, confrontation, contention, contentiousness, contest, contestation, contradiction, cut and thrust, debate, defense, difference, disaccord, disaccordance, discord, discordance, discordancy, discrepancy, disharmony, disparity, disputation, dissension, dissent, dissidence, dissonance, disunion, disunity, divergence, diversity, donnybrook, donnybrook fair, embroilment, enmity, faction, falling-out, feud, fight, fighting, fliting, flyting, fracas, fuss, hassle, hostility, hubbub, hurrah, imbroglio, inaccordance, inequality, jarring, litigation, logomachy, miff, negation, open quarrel, opposition, oppugnancy, paper war, passage of arms, polemic, polemics, quarrel, quarreling, quarrelsomeness, questioning, repugnance, rhubarb, rumpus, scrapping, set-to, sharp words, slanging match, snarl, spat, squabble, squabbling, strife, struggle, tiff, tussle, unharmoniousness, variance, vendetta, verbal engagement, war, war of words, warfare, words, wrangle, wrangling