DictionaryAI

hostility

noun
Sayho-STIL-i-tee/hɑˈstɪlɪti/UK/hɒˈstɪlɪti/

Pluralhostilities (some meanings)

2 meanings of hostility

Practice

  1. 1
    noununcountable
    A strong feeling of anger or dislike toward someone.

    Like the cold, angry feeling you have toward someone you really dislike.

    There was open hostility between the two neighbors.

    She sensed a lot of hostility from her new coworkers on the first day.

    Similaranimosity, antagonism, enmity, antipathy, opposition

    Oppositefriendliness, goodwill, friendship, amity

  2. 2
    nouncountable
    An unfriendly or aggressive act, especially an attack in war.

    Like throwing the first punch in a fight.

    Any hostility from the other side could start a war.

    The treaty was meant to stop further hostilities between the two countries.

    Similarattack, fighting

Practice

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Origin

It came through Old French from Latin, and is linked to the word "hostile."