Nations, groups, or individuals engaged in war or armed conflict; the parties to a dispute or battle.
From Latin 'belligerent' (waging war), formed from 'bellum' (war) and 'gerere' (to carry). The noun form refers to actual parties in conflict, formalized in international law.
In international law, 'belligerents' have a precise meaning—you can't just be mean to someone and claim belligerent status; there are formal requirements that determine who counts as a legal belligerent with specific rights and duties.
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