pugnacity (n.)

"disposition to fight, quarrelsomeness," c. 1600, from Latin pugnacitas "fondness for fighting," from pugnax (genitive pugnacis) "combative," from pugnare "to fight," especially with the fists, "contend against," from pugnus "a fist" (from PIE *pung-, nasalized form of root *peuk- "to prick").

Entries linking to pugnacity

*peuk-

also *peug-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to prick."

It forms all or part of: appoint; appointment; bung; compunction; contrapuntal; expugn; expunge; impugn; interpunction; oppugn; pink; poignant; point; pointe; pointillism; poniard; pounce; pugilism; pugilist; pugnacious; pugnacity; punch (n.1) "pointed tool for making holes or embossing;" punch (n.3) "a quick blow with the fist;" punch (v.) "to hit with the fist;" puncheon (n.2) "pointed tool for punching or piercing;" punctilio; punctilious; punctual; punctuate; punctuation; puncture; pungent; punty; Pygmy; repugn; repugnance; repugnant.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Greek pyx "with clenched fist," pygme "fist, boxing," pyktes "boxer;" Latin pugnare "to fight," especially with the fists, pungere "to pierce, prick."

pugnacious (adj.)

"disposed to fight, quarrelsome," 1640s, a back-formation from pugnacity or else from Latin pugnacis, genitive of pugnax "combative, fond of fighting," from pugnare "to fight," especially with the fists, "contend against," from pugnus "a fist" (from PIE *pung-, nasalized form of root *peuk- "to prick"). Related: Pugnaciously; pugnaciousness.

Others are reading

Share pugnacity

‘cite’

Page URL:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/pugnacity

HTML Link:

<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/pugnacity">Etymology of pugnacity by etymonline</a>

APA style:

Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of pugnacity. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved $(datetime), from https://www.etymonline.com/word/pugnacity

Chicago style:

Harper Douglas, “Etymology of pugnacity,” Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed $(datetime), https://www.etymonline.com/word/pugnacity.

MLA style:

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of pugnacity.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/pugnacity. Accessed $(datetimeMla).

IEEE style:

D. Harper. “Etymology of pugnacity.” Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/pugnacity (accessed $(datetime)).

Definitions of pugnacity

pugnacity (n.)

a natural disposition to be hostile;

Synonyms: aggressiveness / belligerence

From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near pugnacity

puffy

pug

pugilism

pugilist

pugnacious

pugnacity

pug-nose

puisne

puissance

puissant

puka