different between adversary vs nemesis

English

Etymology

From Middle English adversarie, from Anglo-Norman aversaire (in Wace's Life of Saint Margaret) and Old French aversier, aversaire (French adversaire), from Latin advers?rius, from adversus (“turned toward”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?æd.v?.s(?)?i/, /?æd.v?.s??i/, /æd?v??.s?.?i/, /?d?v??.s?.?i/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?æd.v??.s??i/

Noun

adversary (plural adversaries)

1. An opponent or rival.

Synonyms

• villain, antagonist

Antonyms

• hero, ally

Derived terms

• adversarial

Related terms

• adverse
• adversarially

Translations

References

English

Etymology

From the Greek goddess of retribution Nemesis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n?m?s?s/

Noun

nemesis (plural nemeses)

1. (chiefly Canada, US) An archenemy

2. (chiefly non-North American usage) A person or character who specifically brings about the downfall of another person or character.
3. The principle of retributive justice.
4. (usually in the singular, formal) A punishment or defeat that is deserved and cannot be avoided.
5. The polar opposite of a character.
6. A righteous infliction of retribution manifested by an appropriate agent.

Coordinate terms

• antagonist
• villain
• rival
• bane
• archenemy
• adversary

Derived terms

• archnemesis
• chocolate nemesis
• nemetic

Translations

Anagrams

• Meissen, Semiens, misseen, siemens

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /?ne.me.sis/, [?n?m?s??s?]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /?ne.me.sis/, [?n??m?s?is]

Noun

nemesis f (genitive nemesis or nemese?s or nemesios); third declension

1. nemesis

Declension

Third-declension noun (Greek-type, i-stem, i-stem).

¹Found sometimes in Medieval and New Latin.

Descendants

• Italian: nemesi
• Swedish: nemesis