different between defensive vs bellicose

English

Etymology

From Middle French défensif

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d??f?ns?v/

Adjective

defensive (comparative more defensive, superlative most defensive)

1. Intended for defence; protective.

2. Intended to deter attack.

3. Performed so as to minimise risk.

4. Displaying an inordinate sensitivity to criticism or intrusion; oversensitive; thin-skinned.
5. (cricket) Of a bowling or fielding tactic designed to prevent the other side from scoring runs; of a batting tactic designed to prevent being out.
6. (chiefly sports) Pertaining to defense, as opposed to attack.
7. In a state or posture of defense.

Antonyms

• offensive

Translations

Noun

defensive (plural defensives)

1. A means, attitude or position of defense.

Translations

Related terms

• on the defensive

German

Adjective

defensive

1. inflection of defensiv:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Latin

Adjective

d?f?ns?ve

1. vocative masculine singular of d?f?ns?vus

English

Etymology

From Middle English [Term?], from Latin bellicosus.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?b?l?ko?s/, /?b?l?ko?s/

Adjective

bellicose (comparative more bellicose, superlative most bellicose)

1. Warlike in nature; aggressive; hostile.
   • 12 July 2012, Sam Adams, AV Club Ice Age: Continental Drift

     The core Ice Age cast—wooly mammoth Manny (Ray Romano), sabertooth tiger Diego (Denis Leary), and sloth Sid (John Leguizamo)—are set adrift, sailing the high seas on a chunk of ice until they collide with a bellicose primate (Peter Dinklage).

2. Showing or having the impulse to be combative.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:combative

Antonyms

• pacific

Related terms

• antebellum
• bellicosity
• bellicism
• belligerent
• Bellona
• postbellum
• rebel
• rebellion

Coordinate terms

• trigger-happy
• warmonger

Translations

Italian

Adjective

bellicose f pl

1. feminine plural of bellicoso

Latin

Adjective

bellic?se

1. vocative masculine singular of bellic?sus

References

• bellicose in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)