Added 9 October 2026
defence
/dɪˈfɛns/ noun
Latin root: dēfēnsa Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about defence at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- (psychiatry) an unconscious process that tries to reduce the anxiety associated with instinctive desires.
-
(sports) the team that is trying to prevent the other team from scoring.
his teams are always good on defense
-
The defendant and his legal advisors collectively.
the defense called for a mistrial
Origin
From Middle English defens, defense, from Old French defens, defense, from Late Latin dēfēnsa (“protection”). Displaced Old English bewering.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)