belligerent

Etymology

From Latin belligerans (“waging war”), present active participle of belligerō (“I wage war”), from belliger (“waging war, warlike”), from bellum (“war”) + -ger (from gerō (“I lead, wage, carry on”)).

adj

  1. Engaged in warfare, warring.
  2. Eager to go to war, warlike.
  3. Of or pertaining to war.
  4. (by extension) Aggressively hostile, eager to fight.
    England were not allowed to give their chariot the momentum it had a week ago. It was stopped dead in its tracks by a belligerent Springboks defence that simply refused to yield. November 3, 2019, Liam de Carme, “Boks, you beauties”, in Sunday Times
  5. Acting violently towards others.
  6. Uncooperative.

noun

  1. A state or other armed participant in warfare
    The UN sent a treaty proposal to the belligerents.

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