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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]
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