warlike; wanting to fight
China has been conducting massive naval exercises in its coastal waters, which has made neighboring countries worry that it might be in a bellicose mood.
bellum (war) (Latin)
bellicose, belligerent
BELLY+CAUSE. if you are not able to get food to eat you will fight for your belly and you will be bellicose lets break bellicose as belli + cose. belli we can remember as sumo's with huge bellis will fight (wrestleling) each other. so belli-cose means a warlike