Belligerent
/bəˈlɪdʒ.ər.ənt/noun
Engaged in warfare or conflict; hostile and aggressive.
Did you know?In ancient Rome, the term was associated with the rights of nations at war, revealing an era when conflict was both a duty and a honor.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
belliger
“waging war, fighting”
Late Latin
Late Latin
belligerans
“a person engaged in war, combatant”
Old French
Old French
belligerent
“to wage war, to fight”
Middle English
Middle English
belligerent
“engaged in conflict, hostile”
Modern English
English
belligerent
“aggressively hostile, engaged in warfare”
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