Home › Words › A › animosityanimosity/æn.ɪˈmɒs.ɪ.ti/animosity means violent hatred leading to active opposition; active enmity; energetic dislike.animosity is pronounced /æn.ɪˈmɒs.ɪ.ti/.EtymologyFrom French animosité, from Latin animositas (“courage, spirit, vehemence”), from animosus, from animus (“courage, spirit, mind”); see animose, animate.nounViolent hatred leading to active opposition; active enmity; energetic dislike.e.g.“There was open animosity between the two rival teams.”Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).Words closest in meaningBy meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.enmity 72% match — The quality of being an enemy; a hostile or unfriendly disposition. vs animosity →antagonism 71% match — A strong natural dislike or hatred; antipathy. vs animosity →hateration 66% match — Hatred, hostility, animus. vs animosity →acrimony 64% match — A sharp and bitter hatred. vs animosity →enemy 63% match — Someone who is hostile to, feels hatred towards, opposes the interests of, or intends injury to someone else. vs animosity →odium 62% match — Hatred; dislike. vs animosity →inimicality 60% match — The state or quality of being inimical or hostile; unfriendliness. vs animosity →inimicitious 60% match — Inimical; unfriendly, hostile. vs animosity →