what does belligerent mean?
A belligerent (lat. bellum gerere, to wage war) is an individual, group, country, or other entity that acts in a hostile manner, such as engaging in combat. Unlike the use of belligerent as an adjective to mean aggressive, its use as a noun does not necessarily imply that a belligerent country is an aggressor. In times of war, belligerent countries can be contrasted with neutral countries and non-belligerents.
The adjective form of belligerent means hostile, or inclined to fight. It can also apply to a group (e.g. belligerent nation) involved in a war. The noun belligerent is from the second definition: it is a group, or especially a country, that is actively fighting in a war.