'captious' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'captiosus', where 'capti-' (from 'capere') meant 'to take, seize' and the suffix '-osus' meant 'full of'.

'captious' changed from the Medieval Latin word 'captiosus' and entered English via Middle Latin/Old French usage, eventually becoming the modern English 'captious'.

Initially, it meant 'tending to seize or ensnare (metaphorically in argument)', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'inclined to raise petty objections or to entrap by quibbles'.