contend vs altercate

contend and altercate both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
contend	No	No	Yes	No
altercate	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, altercate is a hyponym of contend; that is, altercate is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than contend:

Other hyponyms of contend include stickle, spar, bicker, brabble, niggle, pettifog, quibble, squabble, argufy, dispute, quarrel, scrap, oppose.

contend (verb)	altercate (verb)
to make the subject of dispute, contention, or litigation	have a disagreement over something
have an argument about something
maintain or assert
compete for something; engage in a contest; measure oneself against others
be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight
succeed in doing, achieving, or producing (something) with the limited or inadequate means available