Make Your Point > Archived Issues > BELLICOSE
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pronounce
BELLICOSE:
Say it "BELL ih kose."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
Our word bellicose comes from the Latin word for "war," bellum.
So do the terms below. Can you recall them?
1. A___bellum things are very old-fashioned, like something you'd expect to see only in the old days, before the Civil War.
2. Bell_g__ent people and things are full of anger, as if they're eager to start a fight or a war.
3. A ca___ bell_i (two words) is a cause for war: it's some action or an event that starts a fight.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
"Bellicose," from the Latin word for "warlike," has been around in English for centuries.
It describes people and things that are angry and hostile, as if they want to fight.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Adjective: "He's known for getting bellicose on the set;" "We've had enough of their bellicose rhetoric."
Other forms:
Bellicosely, bellicosity ("BELL ih KOSS ih tee").
how to use it:
"Bellicose" is a formal, semi-common word.
It's about seven times rarer than "belligerent," which makes it a good choice for calling extra attention to someone's hostile, warlike, pugnacious words, attitude, or behavior.
You might talk about bellicose people and their bellicose threats, statements, questions, tantrums, glares, moods, rhetoric, reputations, etc.
When someone gets bellicose, it's often a shock, and it's almost always unnecessary. Check out this example from Joseph Heller's Catch-22:
"Go on, beat it, I told you!" the colonel roared, jerking a thumb over his shoulder angrily. "Get the hell out of here." The chaplain was shocked by his bellicose words and tone.
examples:
"They were not shy about bursting into fits of bellicosity: cursing or even openly bullying customers."
— Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind, 2007
"He could not control the news, and the front page was a source of continuous aggravation... With a bellicose finger, he jabbed at a picture of Fidel Castro. 'You bearded ***. I'd like to fly an F-8 to Havana, chase you down main street, and blow smoke rings up your ***.'"
— Pat Conroy, The Great Santini, 1976
has this page helped you understand "bellicose"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "bellicose" without saying "aggressive" or "combative."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "_____ makes me huffy, but _____ makes me bellicose."
Example: "People who cut in line make me huffy, but people who take out their bad mood on the cashier make me bellicose."
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game for September is Solve the Square!
It's inspired by Squareword, which is like Wordle but in 3D. In each issue this month, find the 5-letter word that completes the square, creating words both horizontally and vertically. For a bonus point, define the word you've supplied. For the answers, scroll all the way down. Enjoy!
Try this one today:
S
H
A
_
E
H
A
L
_
L
A
L
O
_
E
F
L
U
_
G
T
O
D
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Y
review this word:
A. WEAK and THIN-SKINNED.
B. NOVEL and IMAGINATIVE.
C. PEACEFUL and CONCILIATORY.
2.
The most bellicose humanoids in the Star Trek universe are the Klingons: they're _____, valuing honor and _____, according to a wiki on Fandom.com.
A. logical .. stoicism
B. aggressive.. combat
C. spiritual .. ceremony
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Our word bellicose comes from the Latin word for "war," bellum.
"Bellicose," from the Latin word for "warlike," has been around in English for centuries.
Part of speech:
"Bellicose" is a formal, semi-common word.
"They were not shy about bursting into fits of bellicosity: cursing or even openly bullying customers."
Explain the meaning of "bellicose" without saying "aggressive" or "combative."
Fill in the blanks: "_____ makes me huffy, but _____ makes me bellicose."
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |