belligerent
4
7.7
- adjective
- /bəˈlɪdʒərənt/
- Specialized
:
beligerante
- In a total war, any commerce between a third party and a belligerent can be interpreted as aiding the enemy.
- belligerent occupation
- belligerent party
- belligerent forces
We see a newly belligerent Russia, the rise of the Daesh network to our east and to our S the migration crisis.
- We see a newly belligerent Russia, the rise of the Daesh network to our east and to our S the migration crisis.
Examples
-
I think it's quite clear that Israel is not being treated in the way that other belligerent nations would be treated in the same situation.
-
To engage in warfare at all, the belligerent party must have a just cause.
Academic text (1999) -
Indeed, in eastern Congo, some of the belligerent parties continue to fight.
Academic text (2004) -
There can be no experience more humiliating than life under a belligerent military occupation by a foreign power.
Academic text (1994) -
Jordan was the belligerent occupant of Palestinian lands as of 1967.
Academic text (2000) -
"As a lover of truth, the national propaganda of all the belligerent nations sickened me," he wrote in his autobiography.
Academic text (2000) -
In the current conflict, both sides have acted in a belligerent manner, making negotiations extremely difficult.
-
The belligerent nations refused to back down, leading to an escalation in tensions across the region.
-
Reports indicate that the belligerent groups have been actively engaging in combat despite calls for peace.
Synonyms
186
4.1
Fighting between countries, groups, or organizations
58
6.7
Actively taking part in armed fighting or war
Groups or countries that fight each other
Antonyms
How Warlike
Surface Forms
Morphology
belligerent = belliger + ent
The element 'belliger' is not a standalone English word and the adjective is a direct borrowing from Latin-derived formation, so its meaning is not transparently inferable by an average B1 learner from familiar English morphemes.
Etymology
Belligerent comes from the Latin words bellum 'war' and gerere 'to carry' or 'to wage'. That's why a country described as belligerent is one that is actually 'waging war' or taking part in a conflict.