On the Use of Nemesis

On the Use of Nemesis On the Use of Nemesis On the Use of Nemesis By Maeve Maddox Chris Mentzer asks: What is the difference between enemy and nemesis?   What is the purpose of using the word Arch before each? Nemesis is a stronger word than enemy. Enemy is an unfriendly or hostile person. Nemesis is an avenging force. In classical mythology Nemesis was the goddess of retribution. She punished both hubris (false pride) and wrongdoing. The goddess represents the idea that one cannot escape divine retribution. Lowercase nemesis came into the language in 1597 with the meaning â€Å"retributive justice.† One of my favorite Agatha Christie mysteries has the title Nemesis. In it Miss Marple is portrayed as Nemesis, tracking down a murderer many years after the crime was committed. Conan Doyle called Professor Moriarty â€Å"the nemesis of Sherlock Holmes.† If it hadn’t been for the insistence of outraged readers, â€Å"The Final Problem† would have been the final Holmes story. It ends with Holmes and Moriarty plunging to their (presumed) deaths from the top of the Reichenbach Falls. Each was the other’s nemesis. The prefix arch- is from Greek arkhos, â€Å"chief.† It is added to many words to indicate primacy. In the word archangel the prefix is pronounced [ark]. In other words the pronunciation is [arch]. archangel [rkÄ njÉ™l] archdiocese [rch-dÄ «Ã‰â„¢-sÄ ­s] archenemy [rch-Ä•nÉ™-mÄ“] archdeacon [rch-dÄ“kÉ™n] archduke [rch-dÃ… «k, -dyÃ… «k] To place the prefix arch- in front of enemy is to strengthen the word. An archenemy is the most significant among several enemies. Placing the prefix arch- in front of nemesis is to weaken what is a powerful word in no need of intensification. Both Nemesis and nemesis carry the connotation of implacability. One can defeat one’s enemies. Rarely can one escape one’s nemesis. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting†"Confused With" and "Confused About""To Tide You Over"