a bone of contention
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A disputed point; a point not yet settled. The metaphor is taken from two dogs fighting for a bone.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “a bone of contention” mean?
A disputed point; a point not yet settled. The metaphor is taken from two dogs fighting for a bone.
Is “a bone of contention” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.