BELLIGERENT


Meaning of BELLIGERENT in English

transcription, транскрипция: [ -rənt ]

adjective

Etymology: modification of Latin belligerant-, belligerans, present participle of belligerare to wage war, from belliger waging war, from bellum + gerere to wage

Date: 1577

1. : waging war ; specifically : belonging to or recognized as a state at war and protected by and subject to the laws of war

2. : inclined to or exhibiting assertiveness, hostility, or combativeness

• belligerent noun

• bel·lig·er·ent·ly adverb

Synonyms:

belligerent , bellicose , pugnacious , quarrelsome , contentious mean having an aggressive or fighting attitude. belligerent often implies being actually at war or engaged in hostilities

belligerent nations

bellicose suggests a disposition to fight

a drunk in a bellicose mood

pugnacious suggests a disposition that takes pleasure in personal combat

a pugnacious gangster

quarrelsome stresses an ill-natured readiness to fight without good cause

the heat made us all quarrelsome

contentious implies perverse and irritating fondness for arguing and quarreling

wearied by his contentious disposition

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.