Etymograph

English

archenemy

Archenemy comes from Ancient Greek ἄρχω ‘to be ruler’.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄρχωárkhō‘to be ruler’
  2. Englishtodayarchenemy

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄρχωárkhō‘to be ruler’
  2. Englishtodayarchenemy

A compound of arch- ‘chief, most extreme’ + enemy

Ancient Greek ἄρχω ‘to be ruler’

English arch-

Latin amō ‘to love’

Latin amīcus ‘friend’

Latin inimīcus ‘enemy’

Old French enemi

Middle English enemy ‘an opponent of the true religion’

English enemy

Linked words

through Ancient Greek ἄρχω ‘to be ruler’

archive, anarchy, anarchist, archaic, archetype, archon, 14 more

Today it means

noun A principal enemy.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Ancient Greek ἄρχω / archenemy

Shirt and support for this word