contend

Where does the word "contend" come from? It comes from Latin contendere, and was adopted directly into English (1400s).

Contend’s story begins in Latin: contendere meant “to stretch together, to strive.” To stretch together, to strive, from com- (together) and tendere (to stretch). It reached English by 1400s as contend. Settled as the English word for struggling to deal with a difficulty, or arguing a position. Today, contend means to struggle to deal with a difficulty, or to compete for something.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient contendere "to stretch together, to strive", to stretch together, to strive, from com- (together) and tendere (to stretch).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1400s contend "to struggle with a difficulty, or to assert a position in argument", settled as the English word for struggling to deal with a difficulty, or arguing a position.