belligerent
/bəˈlɪdʒ.ə.ɹənt/
belligerent means engaged in warfare, warring.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, belligerent ranks #1,287 of 14,322 for Scariest Words, #1,872 of 14,297 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #2,517 of 14,440 for Most Satisfying to Say, #7,082 of 14,423 for Most Sublime Words.
belligerent is pronounced /bəˈlɪdʒ.ə.ɹənt/.
Why “belligerent” is a great word
Engaged in or inclined to start war, conflict, or aggression. From the Latin *belligerans* ("waging war"), present participle of *belligerare* ("to wage war"), from *bellum* ("war") + *gerere* ("to wage, carry on"); first attested in English in the 1570s. Unlike "conciliatory" (which seeks to placate) or "peaceful" (which rests in calm), belligerent is a posture of readiness sharpened by hostility. It is the glint of fixed bayonets at dusk, the neighbor who waters his lawn in territorial fury, and the low, challenging rumble of an engine at a red light—the raw human fuel for every quarrel, great or petty, that refuses to be extinguished.
Etymology
From Latin belligerans (“waging war”), present active participle of belligerō (“to wage war”), from belliger (“waging war, warlike”), from bellum (“war”) + -ger (from gerō (“to lead, wage, carry on”)).
adj
- Engaged in warfare, warring.
- Eager to go to war, warlike.
- Of or pertaining to war.
- Aggressively hostile, eager to fight.“And I think the facts are that Beijing is a belligerent bully jealous and envious of what Taiwan has accomplished- mainland China- that's what I get out of all of this.”
- Acting violently towards others.
- Uncooperative.
noun
- A state or other armed participant in warfare“The UN sent a treaty proposal to the belligerents.”
Words closest in meaning
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