nemesis

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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day 1 min 1 speaker 4 chapters transcribed 6 hours ago
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What is the Word of the Day and how is it introduced?

Peter Sokolowski 0:06
It's the Word of the Day podcast for September 22nd. Today's word is nemesis, spelled N-E-M-E-S-I-S. Nemesis is a noun.

How is “nemesis” defined and what does it mean as a noun?

Peter Sokolowski 0:19
A nemesis is a formidable foe, an opponent or enemy who is very difficult to defeat. As a proper noun, nemesis with a capital N refers to the Greek goddess of vengeance. Here's the word used in a sentence from Space.com.

How is the word “nemesis” used in popular culture examples?

Peter Sokolowski 0:35
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 makeup, relished the opportunity to ham it up as Eternia's villain-in-chief. Nemesis was the Greek goddess of vengeance, a deity who doled out rewards for noble acts and punishment for evil ones.

What is the mythological background of Nemesis and how has its meaning changed?

Peter Sokolowski 1:03
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. With your Word of the Day, I'm Peter Sokolowski.

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