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Today it means

belligerent

hostile and aggressive, or actively engaged in war

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Where does the word "belligerent" come from? It comes from Latin bellum, and was adopted directly into English (1570s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "belligerent" come from? It comes from Latin bellum, and was adopted directly into English (1570s).

Belligerent’s story begins in Latin: bellum meant “war.” War, combined with gerere (to wage, to carry on). It reached English by 1570s as belligerent. Settled as the English word for someone hostile and ready to fight. Today, belligerent means hostile and aggressive, or actively engaged in war.

  1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient bellum "war", war, combined with gerere (to wage, to carry on).
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1570s belligerent "hostile and ready to fight", settled as the English word for someone hostile and ready to fight.

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