'litigate' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'litigāre', where 'lit-' (from 'lis, litis') meant 'lawsuit, dispute.'

'litigate' changed from Latin 'litigāre' into Medieval/Old French forms such as 'litiger' and into Middle English 'litigaten', eventually becoming the modern English 'litigate'.

Initially it meant 'to dispute, quarrel, or engage in a lawsuit,' and over time it narrowed to the current legal sense of 'to carry on or engage in a formal lawsuit; to take (or be involved in) a case to court.'