ostile

Ostile is an Italian adjective meaning hostile or unfriendly. It is used to describe people, attitudes, or conditions that oppose, threaten, or show unfriendliness, such as an ostile reception, an ostile environment, or an ostile attitude. The term is common in formal or journalistic writing as well as in everyday speech.

Etymology and related forms: Ostile derives from the Latin hostilis, meaning "of an enemy," itself from hostis, meaning "enemy." In Italian, the word retains the sense of opposition or hostility. The adjective has the same form for masculine and feminine singular (ostile); the plural form is ostili for both genders. The related noun ostilità means hostility.

Usage and nuance: Ostile emphasizes active opposition or unfriendliness rather than mere dislike. It can describe people, groups, or conditions that present obstacles or danger, and it is frequently paired with nouns like atteggiamento (attitude), ambiente (environment), receptione (reception), or critica (criticism). In contrast to avverso or nemico, ostile highlights the unfriendly or antagonistic quality.

Examples: Le condizioni climatiche erano ostili durante l'escursione. La folla accolse i relatori con un caloroso ma a volte ostile silenzio. La proposta fu ricevuta da una critica ostile.

See also: Ostilità, which is the noun form meaning hostility; related terms in Romance languages include French hostile, Spanish hostil, and Portuguese hostil.

In English contexts, ostile is commonly translated as "hostile."