a list of divisions (chapters or articles) and the pages on which they start
"I checked the book's contents to see exactly where the chapter on history began before starting my research."
plural of content
"She opened the box to check its contents before deciding whether to keep it."
That which is contained.
In plain English: Contents are the things inside something, like what is packed in a box or stored in a room.
"The contents of the box were scattered all over the floor."
Usage: Use "contents" to refer to the items inside a container, such as the books in a box or ingredients in a recipe. This plural form specifically denotes the things held within rather than the general state of being full.
Third-person singular simple present indicative form of content
"She doesn't always agree, but she will eventually content herself with the outcome."
In plain English: To contain means to hold something inside so it cannot escape.
"The teacher asked us to open our books and contents the page about grammar."
Usage: Do not use "contents" as a verb; it is the third-person singular form of the adjective "content," which means to be satisfied or pleased with something. Instead, use the verb "content" without an 's' when describing someone who feels happy or settled with their situation.
Derived from Old French contenir (to hold within), this term originally meant what is held or contained inside something. It evolved to describe both the physical items packed in a package and the abstract ideas expressed in a text.