défense

See also: defense

French

Etymology

From Old French, borrowed from Late Latin defensa, from Latin defendo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /de.fɑ̃s/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

défense f (plural défenses)

1. defence (action of defending or protecting from attack, danger or injury, or any means for that purpose)
2. (law) defence
3. (sports) defence
4. prohibition

   défense de fumer

   no smoking

5. (nautical) fender
6. tusk (of animal)

Related terms

• défendre
• défenseur

Further reading

• “défense”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.