Conflict comes from Latin confligere — literally 'to strike together'. The same root gives us afflict and inflict, all built on the ancient image of physical collision.
A serious disagreement or argument; a prolonged armed struggle; an incompatibility between opinions or principles.
From Latin conflictus, past participle of confligere meaning 'to strike together', from con- 'together' + fligere 'to strike'. The image is viscerally physical: two forces crashing into each other. The Latin fligere is related to afflict (to strike at) and inflict (to strike upon). The word entered English in the 15th century and initially carried the physical sense of 'armed combat' before broadening to include verbal and psychological disagreements. Key roots: con- + fligere (Latin: "together + to strike").
Conflict, afflict, and inflict all share the Latin root fligere meaning 'to strike'. Conflict is striking together, afflict is striking at, and inflict is striking upon. Even profligate — meaning wasteful — comes from the same root: profligare meant 'to strike down', then 'to ruin', then 'to squander'.