Wordiyofens
LatinVariants
Related Roots
About This Root
From Latin dēfendere (to ward off, protect), combining dē- (away) + -fendere (to strike). The root centers on protection and attack: defend and defendant (warding off), defensive, fence and fencing (originally "defense," then the barrier itself), offence/offensive (striking toward), and fend (to ward off). The evolution from sword-fighting to picket fences is a remarkable semantic journey.
Associated Words
defend
To protect from attack; to argue in support of
defendant
A person accused or sued in a court of law
defensive
Intended to protect against attack; overly sensitive to criticism
fence
A barrier enclosing an area; to enclose with a fence
fencing
The sport of sword-fighting; fence materials; dealing in stolen goods
fend
To take care of oneself; to ward off
offence
A violation of a law or rule; an act that causes hurt or anger
offensive
Causing strong displeasure or disgust; relating to attack; a military attack