noun
enemy
EH-nuh-mee
noun
1
A person who is hostile toward, or actively opposes, another.
"He made an enemy of his former business partner."
"The two nations had been enemies for generations."
2
An opposing military force or fighter in a conflict.
"The soldiers spotted enemy troops on the ridge."
3
Something that threatens or works against a particular goal or interest.
"Stress is the enemy of good sleep."
How to Use Enemy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone or something opposed to you or working against your interests.
Common pairings
make an enemy
public enemy
the enemy of
Word Forms
enemied past tense, enemies plural, enemies singular
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Etymology
From Old French enemi, from Latin inimīcus, literally "not a friend" (in- + amīcus, "friend").