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

Defender Antonio Rudiger hinted his disapproval but stopped short of direct criticism.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Last semester, the college suspended its campus newspaper, the Defender, which published for 80 years, in part because not enough students had taken the course required to work on the paper.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene is now serving as Reiner’s lead attorney.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026

Defender Sven Botman admitted it was "hard to tell" why Newcastle have been unable to deliver more of those victories away.

From BBC • Jan. 28, 2026

The Chicago Defender spreads word of the Great Migration, August 19, 1916.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield

Related Words

• protector
• sponsor
• supporter