Controversy
late Middle English: from Latin controversia, from controversus ‘turned against, disputed’, from contro- (variant of contra- ‘against’) + versus, past participle of vertere ‘to turn’.
wiktionary
From Middle English controversie, from Old French controversie, from Latin contrōversia(“debate, contention, controversy”), from contrōversus(“turned in an opposite direction”).
etymonline
controversy (n.)
"disputation, debate, prolonged agitation of contrary opinions," late 14c., from Old French controversie "quarrel, disagreement" or directly from Latin controversia "a turning against; contention, quarrel, dispute," from controversus "turned in an opposite direction, disputed, turned against," from contra "against" (see contra (prep., adv.)) + versus "turned toward or against," past participle of vertere "to turn" (from PIE root *wer- (2) "to turn, bend").
