Meaning: Aggressively defiant; eager to fight.

Memorization Trick: Think of a “truck” that’s always in a bad mood, ready to run over anything “truculent” like a truculent truck.

Word Story:

Truculent came from the Latin word trux, meaning fierce or wild. It was used for people (or animals!) who looked ready to fight. Today, it still describes someone who’s aggressive or quick to argue—like a human bulldozer.