Lewis & Short

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pugnax, ācis, adj. [pugno], fond of fighting, combative, warlike, martial.

  1. I. Lit.: centuriones pugnaces, Cic. Phil. 8, 9, 26: acer et pugnax, id. Rep. 5, 8, 10 (from Non. 337, 31): Minerva, Ov. Tr. 3, 9, 7: Achivi, Hor. C. 3, 3, 27: filius Thetidis, id. ib. 4, 6, 8: gens, Tac. Agr. 17: hastas, Prop. 3, 7 (4, 8), 25: pugnacissimus quique, Tac. H. 4, 60: gentes pugnacissimae, Curt. 3, 9, 3: hac legione noli pugnacius quidquam putare, Asin. Pol. ap. Cic. Fam, 10, 31, 5: aries, Col. 7, 3, 6; cf.: galli gallinacei pugnacissimi duo, Petr. 86: ensis, Ov. Tr. 5, 7, 48.
    Poet., with inf.: tenui pugnax instare veruto, Sil. 3, 363.
    1. B. Trop., of a speech or of the speaker, combative, quarrelsome, contentious: oratio pugnacior (opp. pacatior), Cic. Brut. 31, 121: oratio pugnax et contentiosa, Plin. Ep. 2, 19, 5: exordium dicendi vehemens et pugnax, non saepe esse debeat, Cic. de Or. 2, 78, 317.
  2. II. Transf., in gen., obstinate, refractory, pertinacious: Graecus nimis pugnax esse noluit, Cic. Pis. 28, 70: non est pugnax in vitiis, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 13, 1.
    Of things, concrete and abstract; with dat.: ignis aquae pugnax, Ov. M. 1, 432; Plin. 15, 3, 4, § 13: musta, harsh, id. 14, 20, 25, § 125: quid ferri duritiā pugnacius? id. 36, 16, 25, § 127.
    Hence, adv.: pugnācĭter, contentiously, violently, obstinately: certare cum aliis pugnaciter, Cic. Ac. 2, 20, 65: dicere, Quint. 9, 4, 126: ferire, Sen. Q. N. 1, 2, 11.
    Comp.: alia pugnacius dicenda, Quint. 9, 4, 130.
    Sup.: pugnacissime defendere sententiam, Cic. Ac. 2, 3, 9.