Etymology of the English word adversary
the English word
adversaryderived from the Old French word
adversaryderived from the Latin word
adversarius (enemy, adversary, antagonist; opposed, hostile, inimical)
derived from the Latin word
adversus (opposite, directly facing, ranged against; person, foe opposite, directly facing)
derived from the Classical Latin word
advertere (turn, face to, towards)
using the Latin prefix
ad- (to, in addition)
derived from the Latin word
ad (to; near; to; to; to; near)
derived from the Latin word
vertere (to turn; turn, turn around; change)
derived from the Proto-Indo-European root
*wer-Date
The earliest known usage of adversary in English dates from the 14th century.
Derivations in English
adversaryismUsage
Word found in Modern English
