archenemy
Americannoun
-
a chief enemy
-
(often capital) the devil
Etymology
Origin of archenemy
Explanation
An archenemy is a main foe or opponent. Batman's archenemy is the Joker, and Peter Pan's is Captain Hook. An archenemy is a hostile adversary. If you're fiercely competitive with your main pickleball rival, you may think of her as your archenemy — even though she's probably a perfectly nice person. Classic archenemies include the evil Cruella deVille, archenemy to the 101 dalmatians, and opposing military generals who vow to defeat each other's armies. The word is derived from the Greek prefix arkh-, "chief," and Latin inimicus, "not friend."
Vocabulary lists containing archenemy
The Very, Very Far North
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
arch, archi (Level I)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Inflation, for central bankers, is the archenemy and the root of all evil.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 7, 2026
A spokesperson for Hezbollah, Israel’s archenemy on its northern border, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 11, 2024
“My dear brother, my archenemy, how did we come to this?”
From New York Times • Dec. 19, 2023
The specificity of his doomsday prophecy should have been a hint that he was fundraising rather than girding for a confrontation with a new archenemy.
From Washington Post • Mar. 24, 2023
And Sunny even gave one to Vega, her archenemy.
From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
