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hos·tile (hŏstəl, -tīl′)
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adj.
1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of an enemy: hostile forces; hostile acts.
2. Feeling or showing enmity or ill will: interpreted the remark as hostile.
3. Being in opposition; opposed: hostile to the proposal.
4. Unfavorable to health or well-being; inhospitable or adverse: a hostile climate.
n.
1. An antagonistic person or thing.
2. An enemy in warfare.
[Latin hostīlis, from hostis, enemy; see ghos-ti- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
hostile·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2019 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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