defensive

[dih-fen-siv]

adjective

serving to defend; protective: defensive armament.

made or carried on for the purpose of resisting attack: defensive treaty; a defensive attitude.

of or relating to defense.

(of stocks, securities, etc.)

able to provide moderately steady growth with minimal risk: The bank has put a large percentage of its assets in defensive rather than growth stocks.
considered stable and relatively safe for investment, especially during a decline in the economy.

excessively concerned with guarding against the real or imagined threat of criticism, injury to one's ego, or exposure of one's shortcomings.

noun

a position or attitude of defense: to be on the defensive about one's mistakes.

Obsolete. something that serves to defend.

Origin of defensive

1350–1400; < Medieval Latin dēfēnsīvus (see defense, -ive); replacing Middle English defensif < Middle French < Medieval Latin, as above

Related formsde·fen·sive·ly, adverbde·fen·sive·ness, nounnon·de·fen·sive, adjectivenon·de·fen·sive·ly, adverbnon·de·fen·sive·ness, nouno·ver·de·fen·sive, adjectiveo·ver·de·fen·sive·ly, adverbo·ver·de·fen·sive·ness, nounsem·i·de·fen·sive, adjectivesem·i·de·fen·sive·ly, adverbsem·i·de·fen·sive·ness, nounun·de·fen·sive, adjectiveun·de·fen·sive·ly, adverbun·de·fen·sive·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for defensiveness

Contemporary Examples of defensiveness

Yet Manhattan has none of the defensiveness that seems to be peeking around the corners of this film.
He’s Still Older, Even in the Moonlight: Woody Allen’s May-December Romances Inspire Scrutiny
Teo Bugbee
July 25, 2014
Back to The Knocks, still awash in denial and defensiveness.
Daft Punk Mystery Solved!*
Winston Ross
June 6, 2013
It spoke of insecurity rather than control, defensiveness instead of dynamism.
Jennifer Lopez’s Fashion Blunder at American Music Awards
Robin Givhan
November 21, 2011
Then read the mountains of judgment, scorn, bragging, critiquing, and defensiveness that each debate seems to produce.
You're Pregnant, Have a Drink
Kate Tuttle
October 6, 2010
Police need to uncross their arms that are folded in defiance and defensiveness across their chests.
Are We All Racial Profilers?
Lorie Fridell
July 29, 2009

British Dictionary definitions for defensiveness

defensive

adjective

intended, suitable, or done for defence, as opposed to offence

rejecting criticisms of oneself or covering up one's failings

noun

a position of defence

on the defensive in an attitude or position of defence, as in being ready to reject criticism

Derived Formsdefensively, adverbdefensiveness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for defensiveness

defensive

c.1400 (adj. and noun), from French défensif (14c.), from Medieval Latin defensivus, from defens-, past participle stem of Latin defendere (see defend). Of persons, "alert to reject criticism," from 1919. Related: Defensively; defensiveness.

Idioms and Phrases with defensiveness

defensive

see on the defensive.