Added 9 October 2026

defend

/dɪˈfɛnd/ verb

In Latin: dēfendō, teneō, tutor Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about defend at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To ward off attacks against; to fight to protect; to guard. To ward off attacks against (something or someone). To ward off attacks from (something or someone).
To ward off attacks against (something or someone).
To ward off attacks from (something or someone).

From Middle English defenden, from Old French defendre, deffendre (Modern French défendre), from Latin dēfendō (“to ward off”), from Proto-Italic *fendō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷʰen-. Displaced native Old English bewerian.