Hostility
/hoʊˈstɪl.ə.ti/noun
Unfriendly or antagonistic behavior or feelings.
Did you know?Hostility ultimately comes from Latin hostis, which originally meant “stranger” or “enemy,” showing how ancient languages could turn outsiders into threats in a single word.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ghos-ti-
“Stranger, guest, or one bound by reciprocal obligations”
Latin
Latin
hostis
“Stranger; later, public enemy”
Latin
Latin
hostilis
“Of an enemy; hostile”
Old French
OF
hostilité
“Hostility; enmity”
Middle English
ME
hostilite
“Hostility, enmity”
Modern English
English
hostility
“Hostile feeling or behavior”