Belligerency

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The condition of being inclined to engage in warfare or conflict
2. The condition characterized by hostility and readiness to fight or engage in conflict
3. A state marked by aggressive behavior and an eagerness to enter into battle or dispute

Etymology: "Belligerency" is a variant of "belligerence," and both are built on "belligerent," which itself comes from Latin "belligerare," meaning "to wage war." That verb joins "bellum," "war," with "gerere," "to wage" or "carry on," so a belligerent person is, at root, one who is carrying on a war. The noun "belligerency" follows the pattern of many English nouns formed from adjectives by adding "-ency" or "-ence," which turn a quality or state into a noun. In this case the ending attaches to "belligerent," so the word names the condition of being ready or eager to fight. The form with "-ency" is the less common of the two spellings, though both are standard.

Synonyms: hostility, aggressiveness, contention, combativeness, warfare

Antonyms: peacefulness, calmness, conciliation, nonviolence, friendliness