bellicose

adjective bel·li·cose \ˈbe-li-ˌkōs\

: having or showing a tendency to argue or fight

Full Definition of BELLICOSE

: favoring or inclined to start quarrels or wars

— bel·li·cos·i·ty \ˌbe-li-ˈkä-sə-tē\ noun

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Examples of BELLICOSE

Never in peacetime, perhaps, have the statements of our government officials been more relentlessly bellicose. Yet their actions have been comparatively cautious. —New Yorker, 24 June 1985
For three centuries Viking raiders haunted western Europe. The bellicose Charlemagne himself felt menaced. —Daniel J. Boorstin, The Discoverers, 1983
His evident calm, which always infuriated the opposition, must have irritated the bellicose colonel to a point at which he could control himself no longer. —Michael Pearson, Those Damned Rebels, 1972
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Origin of BELLICOSE

Middle English, from Latin bellicosus, from bellicus of war, from bellum war

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to BELLICOSE

Synonyms: aggressive, agonistic, argumentative, assaultive, belligerent, brawly, chippy, combative, confrontational, contentious, discordant, disputatious, feisty, gladiatorial, militant, pugnacious, quarrelsome, scrappy, truculent, warlike

Antonyms: nonaggressive, nonbelligerent, pacific, peaceable, peaceful, unbelligerent, uncombative, uncontentious

Synonym Discussion of BELLICOSE

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>.

Rhymes with BELLICOSE

adios, adipose, calvados, cellulose, comatose, diagnose, grandiose, granulose, Helios, lachrymose, megadose, otiose, overdose, racemose, Shabuoth, tuberose, varicose, ventricose

Learn More About BELLICOSE

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for "bellicose"

Spanish Central: Spanish translation of "bellicose"

Nglish: Translation of "bellicose" for Spanish speakers

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