belligerent

/bəˈlɪdʒ.(ə).ɹənt/

//bəˈlɪdʒ.(ə).ɹənt// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"belligerent" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“belligerent” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #27,376 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#27,376
frequency rank, English
11
letters
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Engaged in warfare, warring.

Key facts for belligerent
PropertyValue
Headwordbelligerent
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/bəˈlɪdʒ.(ə).ɹənt/
Letters11
Frequency rank#27,376
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “belligerent” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). belligerent lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for belligerent is 11 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /bəˈlɪdʒ.(ə).ɹənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #27,376 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for belligerent, with forms such as "bbelligerent", "beligerent", and "belilgerent". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin belligerans (“waging war”), present active participle of belligerō (“I wage war”), from belliger (“waging war, warlike”), from bellum (“war”) + -ger (from gerō (“I lead, wage, carry on”)). The correct English form is belligerent, spelled B-E-L-L-I-G-E-R-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Engaged in warfare, warring.
  2. 2
    Eager to go to war, warlike.
  3. 3
    Of or pertaining to war.
  4. 4
    Aggressively hostile, eager to fight.
  5. 5
    Acting violently towards others.
  6. 6
    Uncooperative.

Etymology

From Latin belligerans (“waging war”), present active participle of belligerō (“I wage war”), from belliger (“waging war, warlike”), from bellum (“war”) + -ger (from gerō (“I lead, wage, carry on”)).

Synonyms

aggressiveantagonisticbellicosecombativecontentiouspugnaciousquarrelsometruculent

Antonyms

conciliatoryfriendlypeaceful

This word in other languages

beligerante(Español)belligérant(Français)kriegführend(Deutsch)beligerante(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: bbelligerent,beligerent,belilgerent,bellgierent,belliegrent,belligeernt,belligerennt,belligerentt,belligeretn,belligernet,belligerrent,belliggerent,belligreent,bleligerent,eblligerent

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of belligerent - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

bbelligerent1beligerent1belilgerent2bellgierent2belliegrent2belligeernt2belligerennt1belligerentt1
Edit distance from "belligerent"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "belligerent"?
"belligerent" is spelled B-E-L-L-I-G-E-R-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /bəˈlɪdʒ.(ə).ɹənt/.
What does "belligerent" mean?
As an adjective, "belligerent" means: Engaged in warfare, warring.
What are common misspellings of "belligerent"?
Common misspellings include "bbelligerent", "beligerent", "belilgerent", "bellgierent", "belliegrent". The correct spelling is "belligerent".
How do you pronounce "belligerent"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "belligerent" is /bəˈlɪdʒ.(ə).ɹənt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "belligerent"?
From Latin belligerans (“waging war”), present active participle of belligerō (“I wage war”), from belliger (“waging war, warlike”), from bellum (“war”) + -ger (from gerō (“I lead, wage, carry on”)). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “belligerent”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is B-E-L-L-I-G-E-R-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /bəˈlɪdʒ.(ə).ɹənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list