Finesentence

Bellicose Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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bellicose

bel-li-cose

🇺🇸 /ˈbɛɫəˌkoʊs/ · 🇬🇧 /bˈɛlɪkˌəʊs/

Definitions

Context #1 | Adjective

aggressive behavior

demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight

Synonyms

aggressive, belligerent, combative, hostile.

Examples of usage

  • His bellicose remarks escalated the tension in the room.
  • The bellicose attitude of the rival team led to a heated confrontation.
  • The country's bellicose stance on the issue raised concerns among its neighbors.
Context #2 | Adjective

warlike nature

inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile

Synonyms

militant, pugnacious, truculent, warlike.

Examples of usage

  • The bellicose nation threatened to invade its neighboring countries.
  • His bellicose tendencies often led to conflicts with others.
  • The general's bellicose strategies resulted in a prolonged war.

Translations

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Quick facts about “bellicose”

Bellicose is a 3-syllable adjective (bel-li-cose). It is pronounced /ˈbɛɫəˌkoʊs/ in American English and /bˈɛlɪkˌəʊs/ in British English. On finesentence.com it has 2 meanings, 8 synonyms, and translations into 21 languages. It ranks #28,286 among the most common English words.

Origin of 'bellicose'

The word 'bellicose' originates from the Latin word 'bellicosus,' meaning warlike. It entered the English language in the mid-19th century. The term has been used to describe individuals, nations, or actions that exhibit aggressive and hostile behavior, often leading to conflicts or confrontations.

See also: bell, bellfry, bellhop, bellow, bells.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #28,286, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.