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Origin and history of antagonist

antagonist(n.)

"one who contends with another," 1590s, from French antagoniste (16c.) or directly from Late Latin antagonista, from Greek antagonistēs "competitor, opponent, rival," agent noun from antagonizesthai "to struggle against, oppose, be a rival," from anti "against" (see anti-) + agonizesthai "to contend for a prize," from agon "a struggle, a contest" (see agony). Originally in battle or sport, extended 1620s to any sphere of human activity.

also from 1590s

Entries linking to antagonist

agony(n.)

late 14c., agonie, "mental suffering" (especially that of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane), from Old French agonie, agoine "anguish, terror, death agony" (14c.), and directly from Late Latin agonia, from Greek agōnia "a struggle for victory" (in wrestling, etc.), in a general sense "exercise, gymnastics;" also of mental struggles, "agony, anguish."

This is from agōn "assembly, mass of people brought together," especially to watch the games, hence, "a contest," then, generally, "any struggle or trial;" from the verb agein "put in motion, move" (here specifically as "assemble, bring together"), which is reconstructed to be from PIE root *ag- "to drive, draw out or forth, move."

In English, specifically of the struggle that precedes natural death (mortal agony) from 1540s. The sense development perhaps involves "pain so severe as to cause struggling." The sense of "extreme bodily suffering" is recorded by c. 1600.

I like a look of Agony,
Because I know it's true
[Emily Dickinson]


antagonistic(adj.)

"acting in opposition," 1630s, from antagonist + -ic. Related: Antagonistical (1620s); antagonistically.

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protagonist
1670s, "principal character in a story, drama, etc.," from Greek prōtagōnistēs "actor who plays the chief or first part," from prōtos "first" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "in front of, first, chief") + agōnistēs "actor, competitor," from agōn "contest" (from PIE root
synergist
1650s, in theology, one who holds the doctrine of synergism (q.v.), that human will cooperates with divine grace in regeneration (implying that the fall did not cost the soul all inclination toward holiness and all power to seek it); from Modern Latin synergismus, from Greek syne
agonist
1876, in writings on Greek drama, "a hero (attacked in the play by an antagonist)," from Latin agonista, Greek agōnistes "rival combatant in the games, competitor; opponent (in a debate)," also, generally "one who struggles (for something)," from agōnia "a struggle for victory" (
opponent
"one who opposes, an adversary, an antagonist," 1580s, from noun use of Latin opponentem (nominative opponens), present participle...
contrarian
Hitchens, "Letters to a Young Contrarian," 2001] Latin contrarius (adj.) also was used as a noun meaning "an opponent, an antagonist...
drop
To get the drop on "be prepared before one's antagonist" originally was Old West gunslinger slang (1869)....
miss
Not feeling disposed, against so skilful an antagonist, to run the risk of playing for a canon off his ball, I gave a miss...
opposition
late 14c., opposicioun, an astrological term for the situation of two heavenly bodies exactly across from one another in the heavens, from Old French oposicion (12c.) and directly from Latin oppositionem (nominative oppositio) "act of opposing, a placing against," noun of action
drug
late 14c., drogge (early 14c. in Anglo-French), "any substance used in the composition or preparation of medicines," from Old French droge "supply, stock, provision" (14c.), which is of unknown origin. Perhaps it is from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German droge-vate "dry barrels,"
individual
early 15c., "one and indivisible, inseparable" (with reference to the Trinity), from Medieval Latin individualis, from Latin individuus "indivisible," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + dividuus "divisible," from dividere "divide" (see divide (v.)). Original sense now ob

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