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The resemblance between enmity and enemy is no coincidence: both words come from the Anglo-French word enemi, which literally translates to "enemy." And when you feel enmity for a particular person—that is, deep-seated dislike or ill will—"enemy" may very well be an apt descriptor for them. While it is possible to feel enmity for someone who does not share or return one’s animosity, enmity is typically used for mutual hatred or antagonism between people (or groups, factions, etc.), as when Edgar Allan Poe wrote of the families of Berlifitzing and Metzengerstein in his first published short story: "Never before were two houses so illustrious, mutually embittered by hostility so deadly. The origin of this enmity seems to be found in the words of an ancient prophecy—'A lofty name shall have a fearful fall ...'"
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“Enmity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enmity. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.
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