foe

UK: /ˈfəʊ/ US: /foʊ/ ,(fō)

Inflections of 'foe' (n): npl: foes

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

foe /foʊ/   n. [countable]

1. a person who feels hatred toward another;
   enemy:
   a bitter foe.
2. a military enemy.
3. an opponent in a game or contest.
4. a person who is opposed to something:
   a foe to progress.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

foe  (fō), n. 

1. a person who feels enmity, hatred, or malice toward another;
   enemy:
   a bitter foe.
2. a military enemy;
   hostile army.
3. a person belonging to a hostile army or nation.
4. an opponent in a game or contest;
   adversary:
   a political foe.
5. a person who is opposed in feeling, principle, etc., to something:
   a foe to progress in civil rights.
6. a thing that is harmful to or destructive of something:
   Sloth is the foe of health.

• bef. 900; Middle English foo, Old English fāh hostile, gefāh enemy; cognate with Old High German gifēh at war. See feud¹

Synonyms

• 1. See enemy. 1, 3–5. opponent, antagonist.

Antonyms

• 1. –3. friend.

F.O.E., 

1. Fraternal Order of Eagles.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

foe / fəʊ/ noun

1. 
   another word for enemy

Etymology: Old English fāh hostile; related to Old High German fēhan to hate, Old Norse feikn dreadful; see feud¹

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

FoE, FOE abbreviation

1. Friends of the Earth