enemy Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an opposing military force
    • the enemy attacked at dawn
  2. noun an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force)
    foeman; opposition; foe.
    • a soldier must be prepared to kill his enemies
  3. noun any hostile group of people
    • he viewed lawyers as the real enemy
  4. noun a personal enemy
    foe.
    • they had been political foes for years

WordNet

En"e*my noun
Etymology
OF. enemi, F. ennemi, from L. inimicus; in- (negative) + amicus friend. See Amicable.
Wordforms
plural Enemies
Definitions
  1. One hostile to another; one who hates, and desires or attempts the injury of, another; a foe; an adversary; as, an enemy of or to a person; an enemy to truth, or to falsehood.
    To all good he enemy was still. Spenser.
    I say unto you, Love your enemies. Matt. v. 44.
    It was difficult in such a country to track the enemy. It was impossible to drive him to bay. Macaulay.
    Syn. -- Foe; antagonist; opponent. See Adversary.
En"e*my adjective
Definitions
  1. Hostile; inimical. Obs.
    They . . . every day grow more enemy to God. Jer. Taylor.

Webster 1913