Inimicos

Inimicos is the accusative plural of inimicus, a Latin noun meaning "an enemy" or "foe." In classical Latin, inimicus referred to a person or group opposed to someone, often in military, political, or legal contexts.

Etymology: The word derives from Latin inimicus, formed from in- “not” + amicus “friend,” conveying the sense “not a friend” and thus “enemy.” The concept contrasts with amicus, sharing a common root that underlies similar terms for friend and foe in various Indo-European languages.

Morphology: Inimicus is a second-declension masculine noun. Singular forms: nominative inimicus, accusative inimicum; plural forms: nominative inimici, accusative inimicos. Therefore, inimicos is typically used as “enemies” in the direct object position of a verb.

Usage and legacy: Inimicos appears in Latin authors from the classical period, across military, political, and legal writings, whenever adversaries or opposing sides are described. The form also appears in modern Italian as inimico (singular) and inimici (plural) for “enemy” or “foe,” with the Latin root recognizable in scholarly discussions of ancient texts. In broader contexts, the exact Latin term is mainly of interest to linguists, classicists, or translators working with Latin material.

See also: inimicus, amicus.