litigate
UK[ˈlɪt.ɪ.ɡeɪt]US[ˈlɪt̬.ə.ɡeɪt]
v
To take a claim or dispute to a court of law for a decision.
v
To engage in legal proceedings.
Morpheme Breakdown
lit
ig
ate
lit
lawsuit
ig
drive, do
ate
verb suffix
Etymology
The word 'litigate' originates from the Latin verb litigare, meaning "to go to law, to dispute." This Latin term is itself a compound, formed from līt-, the stem of līs (a lawsuit or quarrel), and agere (to drive, to do, or to act). The literal sense is thus "to drive a lawsuit" or "to carry on a legal contest." Entering English in the early 17th century via the Latin past participle litigatus, the word retained this core legal meaning. The underlying logic connects the ancient concept of actively pursuing (agere) a formal dispute (līs) to the modern abstract meaning of engaging in any form of legal proceeding.
Analysis
Structure: lit (lawsuit) + ig (drive, do) + ate (verb suffix)
- lit: From Latin līt-, līs (lawsuit, quarrel). This root functions as the core semantic element, providing the legal context.
- ig: From Latin agere (to drive, to do, to act). This root functions as a verbalizer, indicating the action of carrying out the core concept.
- ate: A verb-forming suffix of Latin origin, used to create verbs meaning "to act in a specified manner".
Examples
The company decided to litigate the breach of contract.
He threatened to litigate if the damages were not paid.
It is often cheaper to settle out of court than to litigate.