Word of the Day

: April 18, 2019

adversary

noun AD-ver-sair-ee

What It Means

: one that contends with, opposes, or resists : an enemy or opponent

adversary in Context

Despite the fact that they have been political adversaries for years, the two state senators worked together to rally bipartisan support for the bill.

"Try these strategies to engage your boss as a partner in your success rather than an adversary who's getting in your way." — Nate Regier, The Wichita Eagle, 7 Mar. 2019

Did You Know?

If you've ever had someone turn on you and become your adversary, you've inadvertently lived out the etymology of adversary. The word is from the Latin adjective adverāsarius ("turned toward" or "antagonistic toward"), which in turn can be traced back to the verb advertere, meaning "to turn toward." Advertere itself derives from ad- and vertere ("to turn"), and vertere is the source of a number of English words. Along with obvious derivatives, like inadvertent and adverse, are some surprises, including anniversary, vertebra, and prose—the last of which traces back to the Latin prosus, a contraction of proversus, the past participle of provertere ("to turn forward").