adjective
bellicose
BEL-ih-kohs/ˈbelɪkəʊs/
Eager to fight or argue.
The bellicose man raises his fists despite his companion's calm response.
Etymology
Built on the word for war, bellicose describes a warlike disposition. Its emphasis is on being inclined to fight, which also suits someone eager to argue.
In context
a massive orc horde committing them essentially indefinitely next another sub battle group suffered losses of almost 2/3 when its bellicose Aristocrat of a commander ignored obvious warnings to blunder into a trap
More examples
- He grows bellicose whenever someone questions his judgment.
- The editorial criticizes the government's bellicose posture.
- A bellicose neighbor turns a minor disagreement into a shouting match.
Similar words
- aggressive
- Broader; can involve forceful pursuit without eagerness to fight.
- combative
- Emphasizes readiness to argue or engage opponents.