belligerence

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

belligerent +‎ -ence [1]

Noun[edit]

belligerence (countable and uncountable, plural belligerences)

  1. The state of being belligerent; aggressive inclination to war. [1804[1]]
    Antonym: nonbelligerency
    • 2013 April 9, Andrei Lankov, “Stay Cool. Call North Korea’s Bluff.”, in New York Times[1]:
      A closer look at North Korean history reveals what Pyongyang’s leaders really want their near-farcical belligerence to achieve — a reminder to the world that North Korea exists, and an impression abroad that its leaders are irrational and unpredictable.

Translations[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “belligerence”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.