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hostem

Hostem is a Latin noun meaning “enemy” or “foe.” It is the accusative singular form of hostis, a third-declension noun used to designate a person or group that opposes or threatens the speaker or the speaker’s community. In classical Latin, hostis could refer to a personal foe, a rival faction, or a hostile state, and it could carry political or military meanings as well as more general opposition.

Grammatical forms: Nominative singular hostis; Genitive singular hostis; Dative singular hostī; Accusative singular hostem; Ablative singular

Usage and nuance: Hostis can refer to a concrete enemy in battle, a rival in argument, or

Modern relevance: Hostem remains primarily a scholarly term encountered in Latin grammar, classical texts, and studies

See also: hostis.

hoste.
Plural
forms
are
Nominative
hostēs,
Genitive
hostium,
Dative
hostibus,
Accusative
hostēs,
Ablative
hostibus.
The
word
is
often
encountered
in
texts
discussing
war,
diplomacy,
or
rhetoric,
where
one
side
is
described
as
the
hostis
of
the
other.
an
opponent
in
political
affairs.
In
Roman
literature
and
history,
it
frequently
denotes
enemies
of
Rome
or
of
the
state,
but
the
term
also
appears
in
broader
contexts
to
indicate
any
adversary.
The
accusative
hostem
is
commonly
used
as
the
direct
object
of
verbs
such
as
timeo
(I
fear
the
enemy)
or
oppugno
(I
attack
the
enemy).
of
Roman
history.
It
is
not
used
as
a
contemporary
everyday
word
in
Romance
languages,
except
as
a
heritage
or
linguistic
example.