belligerent

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj

Engaged in warfare, warring.
Eager to go to war, warlike.
Of or pertaining to war.
Aggressively hostile, eager to fight.
Acting violently towards others.
Uncooperative.

noun

A state or other armed participant in warfare

Pronunciation

/bəˈlɪdʒ.ə.ɹənt/ [bəˈlɪdʒ.ə.ɹənt] ~ [bəˈlɪdʒ.ə.ɹn̩t] en-au-belligerent.ogg /bəˈlɪd͡ʒ.ɚ.ənt/ [bəˈlɪd͡ʒ.ɚ.ənt] ~ [bəˈlɪd͡ʒ.ɹ̩.n̩t] en-us-belligerent.ogg

Word forms

belligerent more belligerent most belligerent belligerents

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”)).

Synonyms

aggressive antagonistic bellicose combative contentious pugnacious quarrelsome truculent

Antonyms

conciliatory friendly peaceful

Related words

bellicose belligerence belligerency warmonger

Derived words

antibelligerent belligerati belligerently interbelligerent nonbelligerent non-belligerent unbelligerent cobelligerent

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