Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Language: Latin
Origin: Nemesis goddess of destruction, from Greek, from nemein 'to give out'

nemesis

 noun
     
nem‧e‧sis [singular]
1 an opponent or enemy that is likely to be impossible for you to defeat, or a situation that is likely to be impossible for you to deal with
meet/face your nemesis
In the final he will meet his old nemesis, Pete Sampras.
2 literary a punishment that is deserved and cannot be avoided
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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