enmity

American  

[en-mi-tee] / ˈɛn mɪ ti /

noun

plural

enmities

1. a feeling or condition of hostility; hatred; ill will; animosity; antagonism.

   Synonyms:

   rancor, acrimony, malice

2. (in a video game) the targeting for attack of a player character by an enemy, and the circumstance-specific strength of that targeting for any particular character; hate; aggro: Use the character’s ranged attack to get enmity.

   Your tank needs to be spamming “Provoke” at that mob to increase his enmity, or else it’s going to turn and target your mages.

   Use the character’s ranged attack to get enmity.

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enmity British  

/ ˈɛnmɪtɪ /

noun

1. a feeling of hostility or ill will, as between enemies; antagonism

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Etymology

Origin of enmity

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English enemite, enmite, from Old French enemi(s)tie, from unattested Vulgar Latin inimīcitāt- (stem of inimīcitās ), equivalent to Latin inimīc(us) “(personal ) enemy” + -itāt- abstract noun suffix; see enemy, -ity

Explanation

Enmity means intense hostility. If you're a football fanatic, you feel enmity for your opposing team. Enmity comes from the same Latin root as enemy, and means the state of being an enemy. If you have always hated someone, you have a history of enmity with that person. Enmity is stronger than antagonism or animosity, which imply competitive feeling but don't go all the way to enemy status. Hopefully you are a peacemaker and don't experience too much enmity in your life.

Example Sentences

“We and the Armenians must start a new life, no matter how difficult it may be. Enmity cannot continue forever, it must remain in the past.”

From Seattle Times • Oct. 14, 2023

Enmity has persisted between the two over Japanese treatment of Koreans during Japanese colonial rule and the war.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2023

Enmity along the heavily militarized border did not always translate into the world of cricket.

From Washington Post • Oct. 29, 2021

Enmity between East Asia’s two great powers goes back centuries, but has been at its most vociferous over the Second World War.

From Time • Oct. 25, 2016

Enmity be dormant or concealed; animosity is active enmity, inflamed by collision and mutual injury between opposing parties.

From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary by Webster, Noah

Related Words

• acrimony
• alienation
• animosity
• animus
• antagonism
• antipathy
• bad blood
• bitterness
• dislike
• hatred
• hostility
• ill will
• loathing
• malice
• rancor