A person, group, or thing that is actively against you or tries to harm you. It can also mean a strong force that works against your goals, like 'an enemy of sleep.'
From Old French *enemi*, from Latin *inimicus* ('not a friend'), from *in-* ('not') + *amicus* ('friend'). It originally meant simply 'non-friend' or 'unfriendly person.'
The root of 'enemy' is just 'not-friend,' which is a lot softer than how we use the word today. It shows how language can turn distance into hostility, and how quickly 'not close' can become 'against me' in our minds.
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