Where does “enemy” come from?
enemy (Middle English) comes from Old French enemi, from Old French inimi, from Latin inimīcus, from Latin amīcus, from Latin amō, from Latin Deus, from Latin dẹ̄vos, from Old Latin deivos — to be bright; sky, heaven.
enemy (Middle English): An enemy, foe, or adversary
Definitions
- An enemy, foe, or adversary
Ancestry of “enemy”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | enemi | enemy |
| 2 | Old French | inimi | Alternative form of enemi |
| 3 | Latin | inimīcus | enemy, foe someone who is hostile to, feels hatred towards, opposes the interests of, or intends injury to someone else |
| 4 | Latin | amīcus | friendly, well-disposed, amicable |
| 5 | Latin | amō | to love |
| 6 | Latin | Deus | God |
| 7 | Latin | dẹ̄vos | — |
| 8 | Old Latin | deivos | god, deity |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | deiwos | god, deity |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | deywós | god |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | dyew- | to be bright; sky, heaven |