From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
belligerent
adj 1: characteristic of an enemy or one eager to fight;
"aggressive acts against another country"; "a
belligerent tone" [syn: aggressive]
2: engaged in war; "belligerent (or warring) nations"; "a
fighting war" [syn: fighting, militant, war-ridden,
warring]
n : someone who fights (or is fighting) [syn: combatant,
battler, fighter, scrapper]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Belligerent \Bel*lig"er*ent\, n.
A nation or state recognized as carrying on war; a person
engaged in warfare.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Belligerent \Bel*lig"er*ent\, a. [L. bellum war + gerens,
-entis, waging, p. pr. of gerere to wage: cf. F.
bellig['e]rant. See Bellicose, Jest.]
1. Waging war; carrying on war. "Belligerent powers." --E.
Everett.
[1913 Webster]
2. Pertaining, or tending, to war; of or relating to
belligerents; as, a belligerent tone; belligerent rights.
[1913 Webster]