belligerent
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bel·lig·er·ent
(bə-lĭj′ər-ənt)adj.
1. Inclined or eager to fight; hostile or aggressive.
2. Of, pertaining to, or engaged in warfare.
n.
One that is hostile or aggressive, especially one that is engaged in war.
[Latin belligerāns, belligerant-, present participle of belligerāre, to wage war, from belliger, warlike : bellum, war + gerere, to make.]
bel·lig′er·ent·ly adv.
Synonyms: belligerent, bellicose, pugnacious, combative
These adjectives mean having or showing an eagerness to fight. Belligerent refers to a tendency to hostile behavior: A belligerent reporter badgered the politician.
Bellicose describes a warlike or hostile manner or temperament: "Madison, far from being pushed into war by a bellicose Congress, had to drag his own hesitant party into it" (Garry Wills).
Pugnacious suggests a natural disposition to fight: A good litigator needs a pugnacious intellect.
Combative implies an eagerness to fight or resist: The senator made a combative defense of his record during the debate.
These adjectives mean having or showing an eagerness to fight. Belligerent refers to a tendency to hostile behavior: A belligerent reporter badgered the politician.
Bellicose describes a warlike or hostile manner or temperament: "Madison, far from being pushed into war by a bellicose Congress, had to drag his own hesitant party into it" (Garry Wills).
Pugnacious suggests a natural disposition to fight: A good litigator needs a pugnacious intellect.
Combative implies an eagerness to fight or resist: The senator made a combative defense of his record during the debate.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
belligerent
(bɪˈlɪdʒərənt)adj
1. marked by readiness to fight or argue; aggressive: a belligerent tone.
2. (Military) relating to or engaged in a legally recognized war or warfare
n
a person or country engaged in fighting or war
[C16: from Latin belliger, from bellum war + gerere to wage]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
bel•lig•er•ent
(bəˈlɪdʒ ər ənt)adj.
1. waging war; engaged in warfare.
2. showing readiness to fight; aggressively hostile; truculent: a belligerent tone.
n. 3. a state or nation at war.
4. a person engaged in fighting.
[1570–80; < Latin belliger waging war]
bel•lig′er•ent•ly, adv.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
See also related terms for prone.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Noun | 1. | belligerent - someone who fights (or is fighting) individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do" defender, withstander - a fighter who holds out against attack brawler - a fighter (especially one who participates in brawls) butter - a fighter who strikes the opponent with his head gladiator - (ancient Rome) a professional combatant or a captive who entertained the public by engaging in mortal combat gouger - an attacker who gouges out the antagonist's eye mauler - a fighter who batters the opponent; "Jack Dempsey was called a mauler" skirmisher - someone who skirmishes (e.g., as a member of a scouting party) tough, street fighter - someone who learned to fight in the streets rather than being formally trained in the sport of boxing |
Adj. | 1. | belligerent - characteristic of an enemy or one eager to fight; "aggressive acts against another country"; "a belligerent tone" hostile - characterized by enmity or ill will; "a hostile nation"; "a hostile remark"; "hostile actions" |
2. | belligerent - engaged in war; "belligerent (or warring) nations" unpeaceful - not peaceful; "unpeaceful times"; "an unpeaceful marriage" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
belligerent
adjective
1. aggressive, hostile, contentious, combative, unfriendly, antagonistic, pugnacious, argumentative, bellicose, quarrelsome, litigious He was almost back to his belligerent mood of twelve months ago.
aggressive friendly, benign, harmonious, conciliatory, amicable, nonviolent, without hostility
aggressive friendly, benign, harmonious, conciliatory, amicable, nonviolent, without hostility
noun
1. fighter, battler, militant, contender, contestant, combatant, antagonist, warring nation, disputant The belligerents were due to settle their differences.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
belligerent
adjective1. Having or showing an eagerness to fight:
2. Inclined to act in a hostile way:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
مُحارِبٌ، مُتَحارِبٌ، مُشْتَرِك في حَربمعادِ، في حالَةِ حَرْب
hašteřivýútočnýválčící
krigeriskkrigsførende
ellenségeskedõhadviselõ
ófriîsamur, deilugjarnstríîs-
kariaujantis
agresīvskareivīgskarojošs
harbedenkavgacısavaşan
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
belligerent
adj
nation → kriegslustig, kampflustig, kriegerisch; person, attitude → streitlustig, kampflustig; mood → streitlustig, kämpferisch; speech → aggressiv
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
belligerent
(biˈlidʒərənt) adjective1. unfriendly; hostile. a belligerent stare; She is very belligerent and quarrelsome.
2. waging war. belligerent nations.
belˈligerence nounbelˈligerently adverb
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
belligerent
a. beligerante.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012