Foes
/foʊz/noun
Plural of foe: an enemy or opponent.
Did you know?The word comes from an Old English term tied to hostility and enmity, and its deeper Germanic relatives show how ancient languages encoded conflict as a social state, not just a personal feeling.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peḱ-
“A root associated with tending or protecting, ultimately reflected in words for friendship and kinship in Germanic branches.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*faihô / *faihaz
“Hostile, enemy-like, or marked by enmity.”
Old English
OE
fēa
“An enemy or hostile person.”
Middle English
ME
foe
“An enemy or opponent.”
Modern English
English
foes
“Enemies or opponents.”