enemy

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A person who hates you, opposes you, or wants to harm you.

   He made many enemies during his rise to power.

2. 2
   noun

   A country or armed force that you are fighting against in a war.

   The soldiers rallied together against a common enemy.

3. 3
   noun

   Something that harms or works against you.

   For a perfectionist, time can become the enemy.

From Middle English enemy, enemye, enmy, borrowed from Old French enemi, anemi (Modern French ennemi), from Latin inimīcus, from in- (“not”) + amīcus (“friend”). Displaced Middle English fend (“enemy”), from Old English fēond (“enemy”), which survived into Modern English as fiend, but with a different meaning. Doublet of inimic.

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