| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| enemy |
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| SYLLABICATION: | en·e·my |
| PRONUNCIATION: |   n  -m |
| NOUN: | Inflected forms: pl. en·e·mies
1. One who feels hatred toward, intends injury to, or opposes the interests of another; a foe. 2a. A hostile power or force, such as a nation. b. A member or unit of such a force. 3. A group of foes or hostile forces. See Usage Note at collective noun. 4. Something destructive or injurious in its effects: “Art hath an enemy called Ignorance” (Ben Jonson). | | ADJECTIVE: | Of, relating to, or being a hostile power or force. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English enemi, from Old French, from Latin inim cus : in-, not; see in–1 + amcus, friend. | | SYNONYMS: | enemy, foe, opponent These nouns denote one who is hostile to or opposes the purposes or interests of another: betrayed by enemies; a foe of fascism; a political opponent.
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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