Archenemy

In literature, an archenemy (sometimes spelled as arch-enemy) or archnemesis is the main enemy of the protagonist—or sometimes, one of the other main characters—appearing as the most prominent and most-known enemy of the hero.¹²³

The word archenemy 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 but an archenemy may also be distinguished from an archnemesis, 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

The archenemy should not be confused with the proper meaning of Nemesis — the Greek goddess of justice, retribution, and vengeance — who delivered divine punishment on those who committed great offences against the gods and the world.⁹