bellicosity

Them's fightin' words. The UN condemned North Korea's nuclear test and warned against further testing, calling it an act of belligerence. N. Korean officials, meanwhile, have responded with bellicosity (in a warlike manner), claiming that condemnation of their actions is, in fact, a provocation of war.

"The regime slammed the UN measures with a stream of bellicosity in a Foreign Ministry statement released on the official Korean Central News Agency. 'The resolution cannot be construed otherwise than a declaration of a war' against the North, the statement said. "

Link: Officials Fear Another N. Korea Test — StarNewsOnline.com

Posted October 19, 2006.

See our Word Overheard blog to see interesting uses of strange words.

noun

1. Warlike or hostile attitude or nature: bellicoseness, belligerence, belligerency, combativeness, contentiousness, hostility, militance, militancy, pugnaciousness, pugnacity, truculence, truculency. See attack/defend.
2. The power or will to fight: bellicoseness, belligerence, belligerency, combativeness, contentiousness, fight, pugnaciousness, pugnacity, truculence, truculency. See conflict/cooperation.