nemico

Nemico is an Italian noun meaning "enemy." It refers to a person, group, or thing perceived as opposition or hostility. The term is used in contexts ranging from personal conflicts and warfare to sports rivalries and political discourse, as well as in literature and journalism to denote an antagonist or adversary.

Etymology: Nemico derives from Latin inimicus, meaning "unfriendly, hostile," from in- "not" + amicus "friend." The word entered Italian with regular gender and number inflections, forming nemico (masculine), nemica (feminine), nemici (masculine plural), and nemiche (feminine plural).

Forms and grammar: The masculine singular is nemico; the feminine singular is nemica; the masculine plural is nemici; the feminine plural is nemiche. As an adjective, it can modify a noun, for example "un nemico pericoloso" (a dangerous enemy). In phrases, it frequently appears as part of compounds such as "nemico interno," "nemico pubblico," or "nemico giurato."

Usage notes: "Nemico" is common in politics, military contexts, sports, and fiction to emphasize opposition. It can denote a real opponent in a conflict or a figurative obstacle, problem, or threat. The expression "nemico pubblico numero uno" and similar formulations are widely used in journalism and popular language to underscore the prominence of an adversary.

See also: Related terms include rivale (rival) and antagonista (antagonist), which are used to describe opposing roles with nuanced connotations.