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.