adversary

<font size="-1" face="arial, helvetica"> <p> <strong> <font color="#000066">Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for September 12, 2021 is:</font> </strong> </p> <p> <strong>adversary</strong> &#149; \AD-ver-sair-ee\&nbsp; &#149; <em>noun</em><br /> <p><em>Adversary</em> is a word for an enemy or opponent.</p> <p>// The <em>adversaries</em> met at the negotiating table again, hoping to reach an agreement.</p> <p><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adversary">See the entry ></a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Examples:</strong><br /> <p>"Large-scale special effects and intrepid derring-do are wedded to themes of clan solidarity, compassion toward <em>adversaries</em> and contrition for past misdeeds in director Cate Shortland's Marvel Comics-derived action adventure." — <em>The Arlington (Virginia) Catholic Herald</em>, 2 Aug. 2021</p> </p> <p> <strong>Did you know?</strong><br /> <p><em>Adversary</em> comes from Latin <em>advertere</em>, meaning "to turn toward." The <em>vertere</em> of <em>advertere</em> means "to turn" and is the source of a number of English words. Along with obvious derivatives like <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inadvertent">inadvertent</a></em> and <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adverse">adverse</a></em> are some surprises, including <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anniversary">anniversary</a></em>, <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vertebra">vertebra</a></em>, and <em><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prose">prose</a></em> (this last coming by way of a Latin contraction of a form of the verb <em>provertere</em>, meaning "to turn forward").</p> <br /><br /> </p> </font>