Hawkish
/ˈhɔːkɪʃ/noun
Favoring aggressive or militant action, especially in politics or foreign policy.
Did you know?In political language, “hawkish” borrows the hawk’s reputation for aggression and vigilance, turning a raptor’s hunting image into a metaphor for hardline power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kap-
“to seize, grasp”
Old English
OE
hafoc
“hawk, bird of prey”
Middle English
ME
hauke
“hawk”
17th Century
English
hawkish
“resembling or characteristic of a hawk”
20th Century
English
hawkish
“aggressively pro-war or hardline in policy”