different between controversial vs questionable

English

Etymology

Latin controversia (“controversy”) + -al; see controversy.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?k?n.tr??v??.??l/, /?k?n.t???v??.sj?l/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?k?n.t???v?.??l/
• Hyphenation: con?tro?ver?sial

Adjective

controversial (comparative more controversial, superlative most controversial)

1. Arousing controversy—a debate or discussion of opposing opinions.

   • Whole libraries of controversial books.

Usage notes

• Nouns often used with "controversial": topic, subject, work, author, method, etc.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

See also

Further reading

• controversial in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• controversial in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Spanish

Adjective

controversial (plural controversiales)

1. (Latin America) controversial

   Synonym: controvertido

Derived terms

• controversialmente

Related terms

• controversia

Further reading

• “controversial” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.

English

Alternative forms

• quæstionable (archaic)

Etymology

question +? -able

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?kw?st???n?bl?/
• Hyphenation: ques?tio?nable

Adjective

questionable (comparative more questionable, superlative most questionable)

1. Problematic; open to doubt or challenge.

   It is questionable if the universe is open or closed.

   • 1881, Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady, London: Macmillan, Volume I, Chapter 3, p. 28,^[1]

     A crude, cold rain was falling heavily; the spring-time presented itself as a questionable improvement.

2. Of dubious respectability or morality.

   Tiffiny’s behavior is highly questionable.

   • 1920, Carolyn Wells, Raspberry Jam, Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, Chapter 18, p. 302,^[2]

     […] he had a love of money—a sort of acquisitiveness, that led him into questionable dealings.

3. (obsolete) Inviting questions; inviting inquiry.
   • c. 1600, William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act I, Scene 4,^[3]

     Thou com’st in such a questionable shape

     That I will speak to thee.

Derived terms

Translations