defender

American  

[dih-fen-der] / dɪˈfɛn dər /

noun

1. a person who defends someone or something from attack, assault, or injury.

   We commemorate the brave defenders of this fort.

2. Law. an attorney for a defendant, especially a public defender.

   the systemwide benefits of effective defenders.

3. a person who supports an argument, theory, thesis, etc., in the face of criticism or challenging questions.

   defenders of gay rights.

4. Sports.

   1. a team player whose assigned role is to prevent the other team from scoring.

      On the court, he’s an exceptional defender and a natural leader.

   2. a contestant or team that attempts to retain a championship title, rank, etc., in a competition against a challenger.

      Her main rival is the young title defender from Italy.

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Etymology

Origin of defender

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English; defend ( def. ) + -er ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

It was the first penalty Gabriel had taken for Arsenal, with manager Mikel Arteta revealing the defender had "prepared and trained for this moment".

From BBC • May 30, 2026

Which is precisely what happened in the 64th minute when winger Kvicha Kvaratskhelia danced past defender Cristhian Mosquera, who then bundled him over.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026

Gisele is a defender and Alyssa a forward, but Zoe plays in the midfield.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2026

The moment that Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes’s effort sailed over the crossbar, Paris Saint-Germain was still—and once again—a European champion.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026

Even Clarence Darrow, the great defender of the downtrodden, had been charged with trying to bribe prospective jurors.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Related Words

• protector
• sponsor
• supporter