Relating to or involving war, combat, or conflict; warlike.
From Latin 'bellicus,' derived from 'bellum' (war). This root appears in English words like 'bellicose,' 'belligerent,' and 'rebel,' all sharing the sense of conflict or opposition.
The Latin root 'bellum' appears in an ironic phrase—'si vis pacem, para bellum' (if you want peace, prepare for war)—showing that for centuries, people understood that peaceful societies had to be militarily ready.
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