Word origins - 2ed. J. Ayto. 2005.
Pugnacious — Pug*na cious, a. [L. pugnax, acis, fr. pugnare to fight. Cf. {Pugilism}, {Fist}.] Disposed to fight; inclined to fighting; quarrelsome; fighting. {Pug*na cious*ly}, adv. {Pug*na cious*ness}, n. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
pugnacious — I adjective aggressive, antagonistic, argumentative, bellicose, belligerent, bickering, combative, contentious, defiant, disposed to fight, disputatious, dissentious, factious, fighting, fractious, given to fighting, hostile, inimical, militant,… … Law dictionary
pugnacious — 1640s, from L. pugnacis, gen. of pugnax combative, from pugnare to fight, from pugnus fist, from PIE root *peug to stick, stab (Cf. Gk. pyx with clenched fist, pygme fist, boxing, pyktes boxer; L … Etymology dictionary
pugnacious — combative, *belligerent, bellicose, quarrelsome, contentious Analogous words: *aggressive, militant, assertive, self assertive, pushing, pushy Antonyms: pacific … New Dictionary of Synonyms
pugnacious — [adj] belligerent aggressive, antagonistic, argumentative, bellicose, brawling, cantankerous, chip on shoulder*, choleric, combative, contentious, defiant, disputatious, have a bone to pick*, hottempered, irascible, irritable, itching to fight*,… … New thesaurus
pugnacious — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight. DERIVATIVES pugnacity noun. ORIGIN from Latin pugnare to fight … English terms dictionary
pugnacious — [pug nā′shəs] adj. [< L pugnax, combative < pugnare, to fight (< IE base * peuĝ , to punch > Gr pygmē, fist, L pungere, to pierce) + OUS] eager and ready to fight; quarrelsome; combative SYN. BELLIGERENT pugnaciously adv. pugnacity… … English World dictionary
pugnacious — [[t]pʌgne͟ɪʃəs[/t]] ADJ GRADED Someone who is pugnacious is always ready to quarrel or start a fight. [FORMAL] The President was in a pugnacious mood when he spoke to journalists about the rebellion. Syn: argumentative … English dictionary
pugnacious — adjective Naturally aggressive or hostile; combative; belligerent. Not that the doctor was a bully, or even pugnacious, in the usual sense of the word; he had no disposition to provoke a fight, no propense love of quarrelling … Wiktionary
pugnacious — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) adj. combative, quarrelsome, militant, belligerent, contentious, bellicose. See contention, irascibility.Ant., pacific. II (Roget s IV) modif. Syn. belligerent, defiant, antagonistic, combative; see… … English dictionary for students
pugnacious — pug|na|cious [pʌgˈneıʃəs] adj formal [Date: 1600 1700; : Latin; Origin: pugnax, from pugnare to fight ] very eager to argue or fight with people ▪ The professor had been pugnacious and irritable. >pugnaciously adv >pugnacity [pʌgˈnæsıti] n… … Dictionary of contemporary English
