An archenemy (sometimes spelled arch-enemy) is the principal enemy of someone or something.[1][2][3] In fiction, it is a character who is the hero's or protagonist's most prominent and worst enemy.
Etymology[]
The word archenemy or arch-enemy originated around the mid-16th century, from the words arch- (from Greek "arkhos" meaning "most important")[3] and enemy.[1]
An archenemy may also be referred to as archfoe, archvillain, or archnemesis.[citation needed]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "archenemy definition". Dictionary.com. Archived from the original on 5 October 2008. Retrieved 7 September 2008.
{{cite web}}: ; deadurl - ↑ "archenemy – Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 26 June 2008.
{{cite web}}: - ↑ 3.0 3.1 Wicaksono, Rachel. "BBC World Service | Learning English | Ask about English". BBC. Retrieved 26 June 2008.
{{cite web}}:
| Trope conventions, stock characters and character archetypes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stereotypes | By creed, ethic, and morality | Heroes (Legacy hero • Christ figure • Superhero • Romantic hero • Epic hero • Reluctant hero • Contender • Antihero • Byronic hero • Tragic hero) • Everyman • Folk hero • Ivan the Fool • Mythological king • Youngest son • Rogues (Lovable rogue • Jack) • Trickster (Tricky slave • Harlequin • Zanni) • Outlaw (Bad boy • Gentleman thief • Pirate • Bounty hunter • Gentleman detective • Vigilante • Homo sacer • Outcast • Rake • Villains (Anti-villain • False hero • Well-intentioned extremist) • The mole • Double agent • Evil twin • Social Darwinist • Dark Lord • Supervillain (Complete monster) • Evil clown • Killer toys • Zombies • Alazon • Archenemy • Big Bad • Bug-eyed monster • Igor • Masked Mystery Villain |
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| By career, occupation, and profession | Donor / mentor (Elderly martial arts master • Fairy godmother • Wise old man) • Scientists (Absent-minded professor • Artist-scientist • Boffin • Mad scientist • Nerd • Professor) • Clowns (Auguste clown • Clown blanc • Evil clown • Harlequin • Petrushka • Pierrot • Trickster) • Knights (Black knight • Knight-errant • Youxia • Paladin) • Cannon fodder (Mook • Redshirt • Stormtrooper) • [Action hero]] (Gunfighter • Space marine • Superspy • Supersoldier • Swashbuckler) • Magic-users (Sorcerer • Warlock • Witch • Wizard) • Hotshot • Jewish lawyer • Yokel | |
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| By lists, portrayals and formats | Stock characters •female (games • comics) • in LGBT fiction • in military fiction • in science fiction | |
| Narrative | |
|---|---|
| Character | Antagonist • Antihero • Archenemy • Character arc • Characterization • Deuteragonist • False protagonist • Focal character • Foil • Narrator • Protagonist • Stock character • Supporting character • Tragic hero • Tritagonist |
| Plot | Action • Backstory • Chekhov's gun • Cliché • Cliffhanger • Climax • Conflict • Deus ex machina • Dialogue • Dramatic structure • Eucatastrophe • Exposition • Foreshadowing • Flashback • Flashforward • Frame story • In medias res • Kishōtenketsu • MacGuffin • Occam's razor • Pace • Plot device • Plot twist • Poetic justice • Red herring • Reveal • Self-fulfilling prophecy • Subplot • Suspense • Trope |
| Setting | Alternate history • Backstory • Dystopia • Fictional location (city • country • universe) • Utopia |
| Theme | Irony • Leitmotif • Metaphor • Moral • Motif |
| Style | Allegory • Bathos • Diction • Figure of speech • Imagery • Narrative techniques • Mode • Mood • Narration • Stylistic device • Suspension of disbelief • Symbolism • Tone |
| Structure | Linear narrative • Nonlinear narrative (films • television series) • Types of fiction with multiple endings |
| Form | Comics • Epic • Fable • Fabliau • Fairy tale • Flash fiction • Folktale • Legend • Novel • Novella • Parable • Play • Poem • Screenplay • Short story |
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| Narration | First-person • Multiple narrators • Stream of consciousness • Stream of unconsciousness • Unreliable |
| Tense | Past • Present • Future |
| Related | Audience • Author • Creative nonfiction • Fiction writing • Literary science • Literary theory • Monomyth • Narratology • Rhetoric • Screenwriting • Storytelling • Tellability |