Words / C2

li-TIJ-uh-s/lɪˈtɪdʒəs/

Litigious means too ready to sue, or of a culture dominated by lawsuits: a litigious clause, a litigious climate. Litigation is the noun of going to court; lawsuit (already in the dictionary) is everyday. Legitimate is lawful — a lookalike. Do not call a careful contract litigious; the people who rush to sue are.

Meaning

Too ready to take legal action; of a culture, dominated by lawsuits.

Examples

• “A litigious clause in the handbook scared off the visiting speaker.”
• “A litigious sentence in the visiting-speaker contract emptied the diary.”
• “Litigation is the process; litigious describes the itchy trigger-finger. Legitimate means lawful, not sue-happy.”

Good to know

Fond of lawsuits. Noun: litigation. Everyday: lawsuit. Mix-up: legitimate (lawful). A protective clause is not automatically litigious.

New