inimical

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɪˈnɪmɪkəl/ UK /ɪˈnɪmɪkl/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
tending to obstruct or harm; hostile

The harsh climate was inimical to growing tropical fruit.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · tending to obstruct or... hostile adverse antagonistic unfriendly harmful detrimental

Opposites

favorable friendly beneficial amicable

Word family

Derived forms inimicallyinimicality

Related forms enemy enmity amicable amity

Simplified etymology

Inimical, meaning “hostile,” has been recorded in English since the early 16th century. It comes from Latin inimicus, which was formed from in-, meaning “not,” and amicus, meaning “friend.”

Etymology

From Late Latin inimicalis, from Latin inimicus ('enemy, hostile'), from in- ('not') + amicus ('friend'), from amare ('to love').

in- Latin amicus Latin amare Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# inimical

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ɪˈnɪmɪkəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪˈnɪmɪkl/

## Meanings
1. tending to obstruct or harm; hostile

## Examples
- The harsh climate was inimical to growing tropical fruit.

## Synonyms
- hostile
- adverse
- antagonistic
- unfriendly
- harmful
- detrimental

## Antonyms
- favorable
- friendly
- beneficial
- amicable

## Derived Forms
- inimically
- inimicality

## Related Forms
- enemy
- enmity
- amicable
- amity

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: in-
- Root: amicus
- Root: amare

## Etymology
From Late Latin inimicalis, from Latin inimicus ('enemy, hostile'), from in- ('not') + amicus ('friend'), from amare ('to love').

## AI Etymology
Inimical comes from Late Latin inimicalis, from Latin inimicus ('enemy, hostile'), from in- ('not') + amicus ('friend'), from amare ('to love'). The historical trail runs through Latin in-, Latin amicus and Latin amare. Morphologically, the surface form is analyzable into prefixes, suffixes, compounds, or participial endings that carry part of the history. In modern use it means tending to obstruct or harm; hostile. Derived formations include inimically, inimicality; related forms include enemy, enmity, amicable, amity.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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