pugnacity

/pʌɡˈnæsəti/

Etymology

From pugnac(ious) + -ity, from Latin pugnacitas.

pugnacity means the act or characteristic of being aggressive or combative. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 77 out of 100.

Why this word is great

PUGNACITY — [Noun] The quality or state of being combative, quarrelsome, or aggressively disposed to fight. From Latin pugnacitas ("fondness for fighting"), from pugnax, pugnacis ("combative"), from pugnare ("to fight"). Unlike "belligerence," which tolls with the drums of formal war, or "aggressiveness," which can be channeled into commerce or sport, pugnacity is a personal, petty readiness for conflict. It is the bristling of a terrier on a leash, the relish in correcting a stranger's minor error, and the stubborn defense of a long-lost argument—a spirit that mistakes friction for purpose, finding in conflict the only proof of being alive.

noun

The act or characteristic of being aggressive or combative.“His sister is out front, cleaning her gun with that intimidating pugnacity that has most of the men in town keeping well clear of her.”