Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “archnemesis” come from?

archnemesis (English) comes from English arch-, from Middle English arch-, from Old English ærċe-, from Latin archi-, from Ancient Greek ἀρχι-, from Ancient Greek ἄρχω, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ergʰ- — to begin; to command, rule; to begin, rule,...

archnemesis (English): A chief nemesis

Definitions

  1. A chief nemesis

Ancestry of “archnemesis”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englisharch-chief, highest, most extreme
2Middle Englisharch-—
3Old Englishærċe-—
4Latinarchi-arch-, archi-
5Ancient Greekἀρχι-denotes primary importance or authority
6Ancient GreekἄρχωTo begin; To lead, rule, govern, command; To be...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ergʰ-to begin; to command, rule; to begin, rule,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ergʰ- →