defensive

See also: Defensive and défensive

English

Etymology

From Middle French défensif. Morphologically defense +‎ -ive.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US, Canada) IPA^(key): /dɪˈfɛn.sɪv/

  • Audio (Texas):

    (file)

• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /dɪˈfen.sɪv/

  • Audio (General Australian):

    (file)

Adjective

defensive (comparative more defensive, superlative most defensive)

1. Intended for defence; protective.

   a defensive perimeter

2. Intended to deter attack.

   a defensive missile system

3. Performed so as to minimise risk.

   defensive driving

4. Displaying an inordinate sensitivity to criticism or intrusion; oversensitive; thin-skinned.
5. (cricket) Of a bowling or fielding tactic designed to prevent the other side from scoring runs; of a batting tactic designed to prevent being out.
6. (chiefly sports) Pertaining to defense, as opposed to attack.

   The victim held up his hand to repel the attacker and received a defensive knife wound.

   • 2011 September 2, Phil McNulty, “Bulgaria 0-3 England”, in BBC‎:

     The Italian opted for Bolton's Cahill alongside captain John Terry - and his decision was rewarded with a goal after only 13 minutes. Bulgaria gave a hint of defensive frailties to come when they failed to clear Young's corner, and when Gareth Barry found Cahill in the box he applied the finish past Nikolay Mihaylov.

7. In a state or posture of defense.
   • 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, pages 63–64, lines 48–49:

     […] Once join'd, the contrary ſhe proves, a thorn
     Inteſtin, far within defenſive arms […]

Antonyms

• offensive

Derived terms

• counterdefensive
• cyberdefensive
• defensive back
• defensive copy
• defensive copying
• defensive design
• defensive field
• defensive halfback
• defensive indifference
• defensive line
• defensive lineman
• defensive line of scrimmage
• defensively
• defensive medicine
• defensive midfielder
• defensiveness
• defensive programming
• defensive spiral
• defensive tackle
• defensive wound
• defensive zone
• hyperdefensive
• immunodefensive
• indefensive
• nondefensive
• offensive and defensive alliance
• overdefensive
• self-defensive
• undefensive

Translations

intended for defence; protective

Armenian: պաշտպանական (hy) (paštpanakan) Belarusian: абаро́нны (abarónny), ахо́ўны (be) (axóŭny) Bulgarian: защитен (bg) (zaštiten), отбранителен (bg) (otbranitelen) Catalan: defensiu (ca), que defensa, que defend, defensant (ca), defenent (ca) Czech: obranný (cs) m Dutch: defensief (nl), beschermend (nl) Finnish: puolustus-, puolustusta varten French: défensif (fr), defendant (fr) Galician: defensivo m German: Verteidigungs-, Abwehr- Greek: αμυντικός (el) (amyntikós) Hungarian: védelmi (hu), védekező (hu), defenzív (hu) Ido: defensiva (io) Italian: difensivo (it), difendente (it), che difende Latin: defensīvus, defensāns, defendēns Polish: obronny (pl), defensywny Portuguese: defensivo (pt), defensante, que defensa Romanian: defensiv (ro) m Russian: оборони́тельный (ru) (oboronítelʹnyj), защи́тный (ru) (zaščítnyj) Spanish: defensivo (es), que defensa, defensante Ukrainian: оборо́нний (oborónnyj), захисни́й (zaxysnýj)

intended to deter attack

Finnish: puolustus-, puolustusta varten German: Abwehr-

performed so as to minimise risk

Finnish: varovainen (fi) (careful), ennakoiva (fi) (predicting to minimize risk), ehkäisevä (fi), defensiivinen German: defensiv (de), zurückhaltend (de)

displaying an inordinate sensitivity to criticism; cf. thin-skinned

Finnish: puolustuskannalla (adverb), herkkähipiäinen (fi) German: abwehrend (de), verletzlich (de)

in a state or posture of defense

Finnish: puolustuskannalla (adverb) German: Abwehr-

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

French: défensif (fr) Spanish: defensivo (es)

Noun

defensive (plural defensives)

1. A means, attitude or position of defense.
   • 2007 May 26, Julia Werdigier, “Consolidating the Banks of Europe”, in New York Times‎:

     Such kinds of defensives are really rather protecting the local companies than the consumers.

Translations

means, attitude or position

Belarusian: абаро́на f (abaróna) Bulgarian: отбрана (bg) (otbrana) Finnish: puolustus (fi) Galician: defensiva f German: Abwehr (de) f, Verteidigung (de) f Polish: defensywa (pl) f Portuguese: defensiva f Romanian: apărare (ro), defensivă (ro) f Russian: оборо́на (ru) f (oboróna) Ukrainian: оборо́на (uk) f (oboróna)

Related terms

• defensive industry
• on the defensive

German

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

defensive

1. inflection of defensiv:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Latin

Adjective

dēfēnsīve

1. vocative masculine singular of dēfēnsīvus

Swedish

Adjective

defensive

1. definite natural masculine singular of defensiv