defense

Alternative forms

• defence (British)

Etymology

From French défense, itself from Late Latin dēfensa (“protection”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /dɪˈfɛns/
• (US) IPA^(key): /dɪˈfɛns/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• (sports): (US, often) IPA^(key): /ˈdiːˌfɛns/
• Rhymes: -ɛns

Noun

defense (countable and uncountable, plural defenses) (American)

1. The action of defending or protecting from attack, danger, or injury.
2. Anything employed to oppose attack(s).
   1. (team sports) A strategy and tactics employed to prevent the other team from scoring; contrasted with offense.
   2. (team sports) The portion of a team dedicated to preventing the other team from scoring; contrasted with offense.
3. An argument in support or justification of something.
4. (government, military) Government policy or (infra)structure related to the military.

   Department of Defense

5. (obsolete) A prohibition; a prohibitory ordinance.
   • Sir W. Temple

     Severe defenses […] against wearing any linen under a certain breadth.

Participle

dēfense

1. vocative masculine singular of dēfensus