Definition of: enemy

(en′ə·mē) noun plural ·mies
1. One who cherishes resentment or malicious purpose toward another; an adversary; foe.
2. One of a hostile army or nation.
3. A hostile nation or military force collectively.
—adjective
1. Of or pertaining to a hostile army or power.
2. Obs. Unfriendly; hostile. [<OF enemi <L inimicus <in- not + amicus friend] Synonyms (noun): adversary, antagonist, competitor, foe, opponent, rival. An enemy in private life is one who is moved by hostile feeling with active disposition to injure; but in military language all who fight on the opposite side are called enemies or collectively “the enemy,” where no personal animosity may be implied; foe, which is rather a poetical and literary word, implies intensely hostile spirit and purpose. An antagonist is one who opposes and is opposed actively and with intensity of effort; an opponent, one in whom the attitude of resistance is the more prominent; a competitor, one who seeks the same object for which another is striving; antagonists in wrestling, competitors in business, opponents in debate may contend with no personal ill will; rivals in love, ambition, etc., rarely avoid inimical feeling. Adversary now commonly denotes one who not only opposes another in fact, but does so with hostile spirit or perhaps out of pure malignity. Compare synonyms for AMBITION. Antonyms: abettor, accessory, accomplice, ally, friend, helper, supporter.