Today's Word

Enmity

EN-muh-tee

Definition

(noun) Deep-seated hatred or hostility between people or groups.

Example

Years of competition had grown into open enmity, making cooperation nearly impossible.

Word Origin

From Latin inimīcitia, meaning “hostility,” related to inimīcus (“enemy”).

Fun Fact

In literature, enmity often signals a conflict that runs deeper than simple disagreement—it’s the simmering force behind famous rivalries like Montagues vs. Capulets or Holmes vs. Moriarty. Psychologists note that prolonged enmity can reshape group identity: people begin defining themselves by who they oppose. The word captures not just anger, but the enduring emotional landscape that turns opposition into something personal and lasting.

Previous Words

Inimical

Today's Word

Inimical

ih-NIM-ih-kul

Definition

(adjective) Likely to cause harm or work against something; hostile and damaging to a person or cause.

Example

The startup’s chaotic management style proved inimical to creativity, driving away the very talent it needed most to survive.

Word Origin

Inimical derives from the Latin inimicalis, meaning “hostile” or “unfriendly,” rooted in inimicus — “enemy” — built from in- (“not”) and amicus (“friend”). It shares its ancestry with the word enemy, both tracing back to the same Latin root. It entered English in the 17th century, used to describe forces, conditions, or people that actively work against something rather than simply being indifferent to it.

Fun Fact

The Latin amicus — friend — sits at the root of a surprisingly large family of English words. Amiable, amicable, amity, and even amateur (originally meaning one who does something out of love) all share the same ancestor. Inimical is the dark twin of this family — the “un-friend,” so to speak — which makes it one of the rare words whose etymology tells you exactly what it means the moment you know its root. Linguists call this kind of transparent etymology a “motivated” word, where the meaning feels inevitable once the parts are understood.

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Enmity

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Previous Words

Inimical

Inimical

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Inimical

Truculent

Obsequious

Abberation

Ubiquitous