In literature, an archenemy (sometimes spelled as arch-enemy) or archnemesis is the main enemy of someone. [1] [2] [3] In fiction, it is a character who is the protagonist's, commonly a hero's, most prominent and most-known enemy.
The word archenemy sometimes spelled as arch-enemy originated around the mid-16th century, from the words arch- [3] (from Greek ἄρχω archo meaning 'to lead') and enemy. [1]
An archenemy may also be referred to as an archrival, [4] archfoe, [5] archvillain, [6] or archnemesis. [7] However, an archenemy may also be distinguished from a nemesis, with the latter being an enemy whom the hero cannot defeat (or who defeats the hero), even while not being a longstanding or consistent enemy to the hero. [8]