Archfoes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Two primary opponents engaged in a long-standing rivalry
2. Enemies that represent the highest level of animosity and contest
3. Individuals who are considered the most significant adversaries in a given conflict or feud

Etymology: "Archfoes" is simply the plural of "archfoe," a compound built from the prefix "arch-" and the noun "foe." The prefix comes from Greek "arkhos," meaning chief or ruler, and it entered English as a way of marking something as the foremost or most extreme of its kind, as in "archbishop" or "archangel." Attaching it to "foe" turns an ordinary enemy into the chief or principal enemy, one whose opposition is the most intense and most sustained. "Foe" itself is an older English word, descended from Old English "fāh," which meant hostile or hated, so the compound combines a Greek-derived intensifier with a native Germanic root. The plural form simply follows the regular English pattern of adding "-s," so "archfoes" refers to a group of such chief adversaries.

Synonyms: rivals, enemies, opponents

Antonyms: friends, allies