Emily Dickinson Lexicon

HOS-TIL'I-TY, n. [Fr. hostilité; L. hostilitas, from hostis, an enemy.]

1. The state of war between nations or states; the actions of an open enemy; aggression; attacks of an enemy. These secret enmities broke out in hostilities. Hostility being thus suspended with France. Hayward. We have carried on even our hostilities with humanity. Atterbury.
2. Private enmity; a sense less proper.