nemesis
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nemesis¹
- /ˈnɛməsɪs/
Where it comes from
From the Greek goddess of retribution Nemesis (Ancient Greek Νέμεσις (Némesis)).
noun nemeses
- An enemy, especially an archenemy. Batman is in constant conflict with his nemesis, The Joker.
- A person or character who specifically brings about the downfall of another person or character, as an agent of that character's fate or destiny, especially within a narrative.
- The personification of the "fatal flaw" of a dramatic hero in the style of Greek tragedy.
- Polar opposite, especially of a literary character. “And then, while he's devouring you with his stare, thinking about how much he wants to lick you up, along comes his antithesis, his polar opposite, his nemesis for want of a better word—” “Nemesis?” I interrupted, eyebrows journeying up my forehead. “—who swoops you off your feet and away from him,
- The principle of retributive justice.
- A punishment or defeat that is deserved and cannot be avoided; (an instance of) retribution. Even Nathan's close associates, who are not yet ready to declare themselves his enemies, accept that his engineered downfall will be his nemesis for harbouring ambitions beyond his status, and do nothing to alert him to the situation[…]
Nemesis²
- /ˈnɛməsɪs/
Where it comes from
Borrowed from Ancient Greek Νέμεσις (Némesis, “Nemesis, goddess of retribution”).
proper noun
- The goddess of divine retribution.
- 128 Nemesis, a main belt asteroid.
- A hypothetical star postulated to be orbiting the Sun to explain a perceived cycle of mass extinctions in the geological record.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: curse, bane, scourge, enemy, foe, downfall, ennemie, hostile, enemie, worst enemy, antagonist, enemye, adversary, antipathist, unfriendly, bête noire
Translations
Every language
noun righteous infliction of retribution
| Español | némesis |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 報復 hōfuku |
| 中文 | 報應 /报应 bàoyìng, 剋星 /克星 kèxīng |
| Русский | возме́здие vozmézdije, воздая́ние vozdajánije, распла́та raspláta |
noun archenemy
| Español | némesis |
|---|
noun punishment or defeat that is deserved and cannot be avoided
| Español | némesis |
|---|
Talk about this word "nemesis." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/nemesis. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. nemesis. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/nemesis "nemesis." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/nemesis.Cite this
@misc{nemesis_2026,
title = {nemesis},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/nemesis},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
