internecine

adjinvolving conflict within a group
adjmutually harmful

Synonyms for internecine

adj involving conflict within a group

malignant

adjective. diseased

Word Origin & History

1660s, "deadly, destructive," from Latin internecinus "very deadly, murderous, destructive," from internecare "kill or destroy," from inter (see inter-) + necare "kill" (see noxious). Considered in the OED as misinterpreted in Johnson's Dictionary [1755], which defined it as "endeavouring mutual destruction," on association of inter- with "mutual" when the prefix supposedly is used in this case as an intensive. From Johnson, wrongly or not, has come the main modern definition of "mutually destructive."

Example Sentences for internecine

Internecine destruction probably has a meaning we can only guess at.

They would have been led on by internecine warfare to mutual destruction.

I will not believe that we stand to-day in danger of internecine war!

The key is, no doubt, to be found in the internecine jealousies of the sections.

He was one internecine battle, and he became cruel to her because of it.

Then, at last, he was moved to an internecine fight with Antony.

The strife, because it was to be internecine, was the more terrible.

You have come just in time to save us, most likely, from an internecine strife which might have ruined us all.

Since that time, an internecine war had arisen in the dominant party.

There is internecine war in man between the reason and the passions.

internecine

Synonyms for internecine

More words related to internecine

deadliest

deadly

destructive

harmful

malignant