archenemy

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/ˌɑː(ɹ)t͡ʃˈɛn.ə.mi//ˌɑː(ɹ)ˈt͡ʃɛn.ə.mi/

noun

A principal enemy.

Similar
archfoe
OriginEnglish enemy ← Middle English arch- ← Old English arċe- →
UncommonScrabble 19
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Meanings

archenemy1

nounarchenemy (plural archenemies)

plural archenemies · alternative arch-enemy · alternative arch enemy

  1. A principal enemy.
  2. A supreme and most powerful enemy.

Archenemy2

proper nounthe Archenemy
  1. ChristianitySatan

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
archfoe
Also see
archfoearchnemesis

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂er-der.?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ergʰ-der.?
  3. Ancient Greekἄρχω (árkhō)
  4. Ancient Greekἀρχι- (arkhi-)
  5. Latinarchi-
  6. Old Englisharċe-
  7. Middle Englisharch-
  8. Englisharch-
  9. Englishenemy
  10. Englisharchenemy

From arch- (“chief, most extreme”) + enemy.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic عَدُوّ لَدُود
  • عَدُوّ لَدُود (ʕaduww ladūd)a principal enemy
Catalan arxienemic, enemic jurat
  • arxienemica principal enemy
  • enemic jurata principal enemy
Chinese Mandarin 大敵 /大敌, 死对头
  • 大敵 /大敌 (dàdí)a principal enemy
  • 死对头 (sǐduìtou)a principal enemy
  • 宿敌 (sùdí)a principal enemy
Czech úhlavní nepřítel
  • úhlavní nepřítela principal enemy
Danish ærkefjende
  • ærkefjendea principal enemy
Dutch aartsvijand, aartsvijandin
  • aartsvijanda principal enemy
  • aartsvijandina principal enemy
Finnish perivihollinen, arkkivihollinen
  • perivihollinena principal enemy
  • arkkivihollinena principal enemy
French ennemi juré
  • ennemi juréa principal enemy
German Erzfeind, Erzfeindin
  • Erzfeinda principal enemy
  • Erzfeindina principal enemy
Greek αρχεχθρός
  • αρχεχθρός (archechthrós)a principal enemy
Hindi परमशत्रु, प्रधान शत्रु
  • परमशत्रु (paramśatru)a principal enemy
  • प्रधान शत्रु (pradhān śatru)a principal enemy
Hungarian ősellenség, fő ellenség
  • ősellenséga principal enemy
  • fő ellenséga principal enemy
Icelandic erkióvinur, erkifjandi
  • erkióvinura principal enemy
  • erkifjandia principal enemy
Indonesian musuh bebuyutan
  • musuh bebuyutana principal enemy
Italian arcinemico, arcinemica
  • arcinemicoa principal enemy
  • arcinemicaa principal enemy
Japanese 大敵, 宿敵
  • 大敵 (taiteki)a principal enemy
  • 宿敵 (shukuteki)a principal enemy
Malay musuh ketat
  • musuh ketata principal enemy
Māori uto
  • utoa principal enemy
Norwegian erkefiende
  • erkefiendea principal enemy
Polish arcywróg
  • arcywróga principal enemy
Portuguese arqui-inimigo
  • arqui-inimigoa principal enemy
Romanian dușman de moarte
  • dușman de moartea principal enemy
Russian закля́тый враг
  • закля́тый враг (zakljátyj vrag)a principal enemy
Spanish archienemigo, mayor enemigo
  • archienemigoa principal enemy
  • mayor enemigoa principal enemy
  • peor enemigoa principal enemy
Swedish ärkefiende
  • ärkefiendea principal enemy
Turkish başdüşman
  • başdüşmana principal enemy
Cite this entry
APA

archenemy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/archenemy

MLA

“archenemy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/archenemy. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “archenemy,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/archenemy.

Source: archenemy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.