antagonist
Meanings
noun
- An opponent or enemy.
- One who antagonizes or stirs.
- A chemical that binds to a receptor but does not produce a physiological response, blocking the action of other agonist chemicals, such as endogenous chemical messengers.
- The main character or force opposing the protagonist in a literary work or drama.
- A muscle that acts in opposition to another.
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
From Latin antagonista, from Ancient Greek ἀνταγωνιστής (antagōnistḗs, “opponent”) (ἀντί (antí, “against”) + ἀγωνιστής (agōnistḗs, “a combatant, pleader, actor”)), from ἀνταγωνίζομαι (antagōnízomai, “to antagonize”).
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