defender English · revision 7868

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1297|origins=fro defendre}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /dɪˈfɛndə(ɹ)/ ''(UK)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English defendour, [[bor|xno|defendour]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) Old French defendeor, an agent noun from defendre (see [[defend]]).^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998) The Latin word in this sense was defensor.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ One who wards off an attack, a protector: 1297 in the OED, about 1300 in Etymonline,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and as a surname the early 13th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In law, the party sued in an action is from about 1430–50, and is now chiefly Scots.^(OED 1989)^(HTOED)^(Chambers 2008) One who upholds something by argument is from 1544,^(OED 1989) and ''Defender of the Faith'' has been a title of English sovereigns since Henry VIII (1530).^(OED 1989) A person challenged to trial by combat is an obsolete sense of 1586,^(OED 1989)^(HTOED) and a watchdog of 1607.^(OED 1989) In Irish history the Defenders, a Roman Catholic society in the north of Ireland, are from 1788–96.^(OED 1989)^(HTOED) In sport, a player whose role is to stop the opposition scoring is from 1851,^(HTOED) and the holder of a title who seeks to keep it a further sense.^(Chambers 2008)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1297 – a protector.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1430 – the party sued (law).^(HTOED)

+ * 1530 – Defender of the Faith.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1544 – an advocate.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1851 – in sport.^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who [[defend|alt=defends]] someone or something from attack or criticism.^(NODE 1998)^(Chambers 2008)

+ # In [[football]], [[hockey]] and other games, a player whose task is to protect the goal.^(NODE 1998)^(Chambers 2008)

+ # The holder of a championship who tries to keep it.^(Chambers 2008)

+ # ''(Scots law)'' A defendant.^(Chambers 2008)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[defend]]

+ * [[defence]]

+ * [[defendant]]

+ * [[defensive]]

+ * [[fend]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}