Word of the Day:September 22, 2026
Nemesis
nounNEM-uh-siss
What It Means
- A nemesis is a formidable foe—an opponent or enemy who is very difficult to defeat. As a proper noun, Nemesis refers to the Greek goddess of vengeance.
- // She will be playing against her old nemesis for the championship.
- See the entry
NEMESIS in Context
“There were never any doubts about the man playing He-Man’s nemesis, Skeletor. … Frank Langella had caught Goddard’s eye in ‘Amadeus’ on Broadway, and—buried under some impressive make-up—relished the opportunity to ham it up as Eternia’s villain-in-chief.” — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Vocab Builder:Nemesis
1 of 3
Which situation best describes someone facing their nemesis?
A.
A homeowner argues with a city official about a parking ticket.
B.
A chess grandmaster plays against the one rival who has defeated her in every championship match.
C.
A student has a friendly debate with a classmate who holds a different opinion.
Did You Know?
Nemesis was the Greek goddess of vengeance, a deity who doled out rewards for noble acts and punishment for evil ones. The Greeks believed that Nemesis didn’t always punish an offender immediately but might wait generations to avenge a crime. In English, nemesis originally referred to someone who brought a just retribution, but nowadays people are more likely to see simple animosity rather than justice in the actions of a nemesis.
Aquinas College Library 