خَصْمٌ

An adversary in contention or altercation, in dispute, or in litigation; an antagonist; a litigant: (JK, K, TA:) as also ↓ خَصِيمٌ: (JK, S, K, TA:) the former is used alike as masculine and feminine (S, Msb, K) and singular (JK, S, Msb, K) and dual (Msb, K) and plural; (JK, S, Msb, K;) because it is originally a verbal noun: (S, TA:) [see an example of its use in a plural sense in a verse cited voce جَنَفٌ:] but it also has the dual form, خَصْمَانِ; (S, Msb;) and the plural خُصُومٌ (JK, S, Msb, K) and خِصَامٌ (Msb) and perhaps أَخْصَامٌ, [which is a plural of pauc.,] or this may be plural of خَصِمٌ: (TA:) the plural of ↓ خَصِيمٌ is خُصَمَاءُ (JK, S, K) and خُصْمَانٌ. (K.)