a. Also 6–7 -siall, 6 -tial. [ad. L. contrōversiāl-is, f. contrōversia: see CONTROVERSY and -AL.]
1. Subject to controversy; open to discussion; debatable, questionable; disputed.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 111. Although it be controuersiall whether they bee things indifferente or not.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, II. x. 211. The Priests … had a controversiall City appointed them … so that they must win it before they could wear it.
1800. Med. Jrnl., IV. 157. My opinion on this controversial point.
1847. J. Wilson, Chr. North (1857), I. 142. As controversial a point as the authorship of Junius.
2. Of, pertaining to, or of the nature of controversy; polemical.
1659. Vulgar Errors Censured, 112. The court of Controversiall Divinity.
a. 1710. Bp. Bull, Serm., vi. I. 150 (R.). Polemical or controversial divinity is … that part of divinity, which instructs and furnisheth a man with necessary weapons to defend the truth against its enemies.
1839. Keightley, Hist. Eng., II. 32. His controversial writings.
1875. Stubbs, Const. Hist., III. xviii. 240. The general object of his writing was didactic rather than controversial.
3. Engaging in or given to controversy; disputatious.
1659. Vulgar Errors Censured, 112. I wish … that Controversiall Divines would cease to be stinging Satyrists.
1807. Crabbe, Library, 251. But most she fears the controversial pen.
1851. Helps, Comp. Solit., xii. (1874), 210. What a pity it would be if controversy were abandoned to the weak or controversial only.
4. as sb. A controversial matter or argument.
1658. Manton, Exp. Jude 3. In controversials there is great use of writing, controversies not being so easily determined by the judgment of the ear as the eye.
