Etymology dictionary

decoration (n.) — deficient (adj.)

decoration (n.)

early 15c., decoracioun, "the covering of blemishes with cosmetics;" 1580s, "action of adorning with something becoming or ornamental," from Medieval Latin decorationem (nominative decoratio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin decorare "to decorate, adorn, embellish, beautify," from decus (genitive decoris) "an ornament; grace, dignity, honor," from PIE root *dek- "to take, accept" (on the notion of "to add grace"),

Meaning "that which decorates" is from 1670s. As "a badge or medal worn as a mark of honor" (often in plural, decorations), also "the conferring of a badge or medal of honor," by 1816. In U.S., Decoration Day (by 1870) was another old name for Memorial Day (q.v.), when the graves of the Civil War dead from the North were decorated with flowers.

decorous (adj.)

1660s, "suitable, appropriate;" 1670s, "characterized by or notable for decorum, formally polite and proper," from Latin decorus "becoming, seemly, fitting, proper," from decus (genitive decoris) "an ornament," "to decorate, adorn, embellish, beautify," from PIE root *dek- "to take, accept" (on the notion of "to add grace"). Related: Decorously; decorousness.

decorative (adj.)

early 15c., "beautifying, made to remove or cover up blemishes," from Old French decoratif and directly from decorat-, past-participle stem of Latin decorare "to decorate, adorn, embellish, beautify," from decus (genitive decoris) "an ornament; grace, dignity, honor," from PIE root *dek- "to take, accept" (on the notion of "to add grace"). From 1791 as "of or pertaining to decoration, of an ornamental nature."

decorated (adj.)

1727, "adorned, ornamented, embellished," past-participle adjective from decorate (v.). From 1816 as "invested with a badge or medal of honor."

decorticate (v.)

1610s, "remove the bark from," from Latin decorticatus, past participle of decorticare "to strip of bark," from de (see de-) + stem of cortex "bark of a tree" (see corium). Figurative use by 1650s. Related: Decorticated; decorticating; decortication.

decorum (n.)

1560s, "that which is proper or fitting in a literary or artistic composition;" 1580s, "propriety of speech, behavior, or dress; formal politeness," from Latin decorum "that which is seemly," noun use of neuter of adjective decorus "fit, proper," from decor "beauty, elegance, charm, grace, ornament," from decus (genitive decoris) "an ornament," from PIE root *dek- "to take, accept" (on the notion of "to add grace").

decoupage (n.)

"decoration of a surface with an applied paper cut-out," by 1957, from French découpage, literally "the act of cutting out," from decouper "to cut out" (12c., Old French decoper), from dé- "out" (see de-) + couper "to cut" (see chop (v.1)).

decouple (v.)

c. 1600, "uncouple" (a sense now obsolete), from French découpler "to uncouple," from dé- (see de-) + coupler (Old French copler; see couple (v.)). In modern use, "to make the coupling of two electrical systems very loose." Related: Decoupled; decoupling.

decree (v.)

"to order or promulgate with authority," late 14c., decreen, from decree (n.). Related: Decreed; decreeing.

decree (n.)

"special ordinance or regulation promulgated by authority," early 14c., originally ecclesiastical, secular use is by late 14c., from Old French decre, variant of decret (12c., Modern French décret), from Latin decretum, neuter of decretus, past participle of decernere "to decree, decide, pronounce a decision," from de (see de-) + cernere "to separate" (from PIE root *krei- "to sieve," thus "discriminate, distinguish").

decrease (n.)

late 14c., "detriment, harm;" early 15c. as "a becoming less or smaller," from Anglo-French decres, from the verb (see decrease (v.)).

decrease (v.)

early 15c., decresen (intransitive) "become less, be diminished gradually," from Anglo-French decreiss-, present-participle stem of decreistre, Old French descroistre (12c., Modern French décroître), from Latin decrescere "to grow less, diminish," from de "away from" (see de-) + crescere "to grow" (from PIE root *ker- (2) "to grow"). Transitive sense of "make less, lessen" is from late 15c. Related: Decreased; decreasing.

decrement (n.)

1620s, "act or state of decreasing;" 1660s, "quantity lost by gradual waste," from Latin decrementum "diminution," from stem of decrescere "to grow less, diminish," from de "away from" (see de-) + crescere "to grow" (from PIE root *ker- (2) "to grow").

decrepit (adj.)

"broken down in health, weakened, especially by age," mid-15c., from Old French decrepit (15c., Modern French décrépit), from Latin decrepitus "very old, infirm" (of old men and old animals), from de "down" (see de-) + *crepitus, past participle of crepare "to crack, break" (see raven). The literal sense of the Latin word is uncertain. Related: Decrepitly.

decrepitation (n.)

"act of snapping or bursting with a crackling noise when heated," 1660s, from Latin decrepitationem (nominative decrepitatio), from de- + crepitatus, past participle of crepitare "to crack, break" (see raven).

decrepitude (n.)

"state of being broken down by infirmities," c. 1600, from French décrépitude (14c.), from Latin decrepitus "very old, infirm," from de "down" (see de-) + *crepitus, past participle of crepare "to crack, break" (see raven).

decrescendo (n.)

in music, "a gradual diminution in force, a passing from loud to soft," 1806, from Italian decrescendo, present participle of decrescere, from Latin decrescere "to grow less, diminish," from de "away from" (see de-) + crescere "to grow" (from PIE root *ker- (2) "to grow"). Also as an adjective and adverb.

decretory (adj.)

"pertaining to or following a decree," 1630s, from Latin decretorius, from decretum (see decree (n.)). Related: Decretorial (1580s).

decry (v.)

1610s, "to cry down, speak disparagingly of;" 1640s, "clamor against actively and publicly," from French decrier (14c.; Old French descrier "cry out, announce"), from des- "apart" (see dis-) + crier "to cry," from Latin quiritare (see cry (v.)). In English, the sense has been colored by the presumption that de- in this word means "down."

decriminalize (v.)

1963, "to reform a criminal," back-formation from decriminalization. Meaning "to make legal something that formerly had been illegal" was in use by 1970 (there are isolated instances back to 1867). Related: Decriminalized; decriminalizing.

decriminalization (n.)

1945; see de- + criminal (adj.) + -ization. Especially in reference to narcotics since c. 1968.

decrypt (v.)

1933, "to decode an intercepted message," 1936, "to solve a cryptogram," from de- + cryptogram. Related: Decrypted; decrypting.

decubitus (n.)

"posture and manner assumed by sick persons lying in bed," 1866, Modern Latin, from past participle of Latin decumbere "to lie down," from de "down" (see de-) + -cumbere "take a reclining position," related to cubare "lie down" (see cubicle). Sometimes also "a bed-sore." Related: Decubital, decubitation (1660s as "action of lying down").

decuple (adj.)

"tenfold, containing ten times as many," 1610s, from French décuple (late 15c.), from Latin decuplus "tenfold," from decem "ten" (from PIE root *dekm- "ten") + -plus (see -plus).

decussate (v.)

"to intersect so as to form a figure like the letter X, to cross," 1650s, from Latin decussatus, past participle of decussare "to divide crosswise, to cross in the form of an 'X,'" from decussis "the figure 'ten'" (in Roman numerals, represented by X), also "a large copper coin ten times the value of an as," from decem "ten" (from PIE root *dekm- "ten"). Related: Decussated; decussating; decussation. As an adjective, by 1806.

dedicate (v.)

early 15c. (of church buildings) "set apart and consecrate to a deity or a sacred purpose," from Latin dedicatus, past participle of dedicare "consecrate, proclaim, affirm, set apart," from de "away" (see de-) + dicare "proclaim" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly," and see diction).

General sense of "devote with solemnity or earnest purpose" is from 1550s. Meaning "ascribe or address (a literary or musical composition) to someone or something" is from 1540s. Related: Dedicated; dedicating.

dedicated (adj.)

"set apart and consecrated to a deity or to a sacred purpose by a solemn act or by religious ceremonies; devoted with earnest purpose, as to some person or end," c. 1600, usually of things, writings, property, etc., past-participle adjective from dedicate (v.).

Of persons, "devoted to one's aims or vocation," attested clearly by 1936, but the sense shift can be felt in Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, which opens talking of "a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal," and a few lines later reintroduces the word personally: "It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here, have, thus far, so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us ...."

Of things, "made to be available only for a particular purpose or class of user," by 1969. Related: Dedicatedly.

dedication (n.)

late 14c., dedicacioun, "action of consecrating to a deity or sacred use," from Old French dedicacion "consecration of a church or chapel" (14c., Modern French dédication) and directly from Latin dedicationem, noun of action from dedicare "consecrate, proclaim, affirm, set apart," from de "away" (see de-) + dicare "proclaim" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly," and see diction). Meaning "the giving of oneself to some purpose" is from c. 1600. Sense of "an inscription to a patron or friend prefixed to a literary or musical composition" is from 1590s.

deduce (v.)

early 15c., deducen, "to show, prove, demonstrate;" late 15c., "to deduct," from Latin deducere "lead down, derive" (in Medieval Latin, "infer logically"), from de "down" (see de-) + ducere "to lead" (from PIE root *deuk- "to lead"). The usual modern sense of "draw a conclusion from something already known" is first recorded 1520s, from Medieval Latin. Related: Deduced; deducing.

deductive (adj.)

1640s, "derivative" (a sense now obsolete); from 1660s in logic, "consisting of deduction; based on inference from accepted principles," from Latin deductivus "derivative," from deduct-, past-participle stem of deducere "to lead down, derive" (in Medieval Latin, "infer logically"), from de "down" (see de-) + ducere "to lead" (from PIE root *deuk- "to lead"). Related: Deductively.

deduction (n.)

early 15c., deduccioun, "a bringing, a leading;" mid-15c., "action of deducting; a taking away, a number or amount subtracted," from Old French deduction (Modern French déduction) and directly from Latin deductionem (nominative deductio) "a leading away, an escorting; a diminution," noun of action from past-participle stem of deducere "lead or bring away or down; derive" (in Medieval Latin, "infer logically"), from de "down" (see de-) + ducere "to lead," from PIE root *deuk- "to lead."

Meaning "that which is deducted" is from 1540s. As a term in logic, "derivation as a result from a known principle, an inference, conclusion," 1520s, from Late Latin use of deductio as a loan-translation of Greek apagoge. Related: Deductional.

deduct (v.)

early 15c., "to take away, separate, or remove in estimating or counting," from Latin deductus, past participle of deducere "lead down, bring away;" see deduce, with which it formerly was interchangeable. Deduct refers to taking away portions or amounts; subtract to taking away numbers. Related: Deducted; deducting.

deductible (adj.)

1856, "capable of being withdrawn," especially from one's taxes or income, with -ible + Latin deducere "lead down, derive" (in Medieval Latin, "infer logically"), from de "down" (see de-) + ducere "to lead" (from PIE root *deuk- "to lead"). As a noun, "amount of a loss which must be borne by the policy-holder in an insurance claim," by 1927. The older adjective is deducible (1610s).

deed (n.)

"that which is done, acted, or performed, whether good or bad, great or small," Old English dæd "a doing, act, action; transaction, event," from Proto-Germanic *dethi- (source also of Old Saxon dad, Old Norse dað, Old Frisian dede, Middle Dutch daet, Dutch daad, Old High German tat, German Tat "deed, thing done," Gothic gadeþs "a putting, placing"), from PIE *dheti- "thing laid down or done; law; deed" (source also of Lithuanian dėtis "load, burden," Greek thesis "a placing, setting"), suffixed form of root *dhe- "to set, place, put" (compare do).

In law, "written document authenticated by seal of the person whose will it declares, especially for the purpose of conveying real estate" is from early 14c. As a verb, "convey or transfer by deed," 1806, American English. Related: Deeded; deeding.

Deely-bobber (n.)

"headband with two springs carrying ornaments," 1982, trademark name held by Ace Novelty Company. Earlier it had been a patent name for a type of building blocks, manufactured 1969-1973.

deem (v.)

Middle English demen, from Old English deman "to judge, decide on consideration, condemn;, think, judge, hold as an opinion," from Proto-Germanic *domjanan (source also of Old Frisian dema "to judge," Old Saxon adomian, Middle Dutch doemen, Old Norse dma, Old High German tuomen, Gothic domjan "to deem, judge"), denominative of *domaz, from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put" (compare doom). Related: Deemed; deeming.

Originally "pronounce judgment" as well as "form an opinion." Compare Old English, Middle English deemer "a judge." The two judges of the Isle of Man were called deemsters in 17c., a title formerly common throughout England and Scotland and preserved in the surname Dempster.

de-emphasize (v.)

also deemphasize, "reduce the importance or prominence of," 1938, from de- "opposite of" + emphasize. Related: De-emphasized; de-emphasizing. De-emphasis (n.) is from 1940.

deep (n.)

Old English deop "deep water," especially the sea, from the source of deep (adj.). Cognate with Old High German tiufi, German Tief, Teufe, Dutch diep, Danish dyb. General sense of "that which is of great depth" is by mid-14c.

deep (adj.)

Old English deop "having considerable extension downward," especially as measured from the top or surface, also figuratively, "profound, awful, mysterious; serious, solemn," from Proto-Germanic *deupaz (source also of Old Saxon diop, Old Frisian diap, Dutch diep, Old High German tiof, German tief, Old Norse djupr, Danish dyb, Swedish djup, Gothic diups "deep"), from PIE root *dheub- "deep, hollow" (source also of Lithuanian dubus "deep, hollow," Old Church Slavonic duno "bottom, foundation," Welsh dwfn "deep," Old Irish domun "world," via sense development from "bottom" to "foundation" to "earth" to "world").

By early 14c. "extensive in any direction analogous to downward," as measured from the front. From late 14c. of sound, "low in pitch, grave," also of color, "intense." By c. 1200, of persons, "sagacious, of penetrating mind." From 1560s, of debt., etc., "closely involved, far advanced."

Deep pocket as figurative of wealth is from 1951. To go off the deep end "lose control of oneself" is slang recorded by 1921, probably in reference to the deep end of a swimming pool, where a person on the surface can no longer touch bottom. When 3-D films seemed destined to be the next wave and the biggest thing to hit cinema since talkies, they were known as deepies (1953)., hard to understand

deep (adv.)

"far down, deeply," Old English deope, from the source of deep (adj.).

deepness (n.)

Old English deopnes "deep water," also "a mystery or secret;" see deep (adj.) + -ness. From late 12c. as "distance downward;" c. 1200 as "wisdom, profundity."

deepen (v.)

c. 1600, transitive, "to make deep or deeper," from deep (adj.) + -en (1). Intransitive sense of "become deep or deeper" is from 1690s. Related: Deepened; deepening. The earlier verb had been simply deep (Middle English deopen), from Old English diepan.

deep-freeze (n.)

registered trademark (U.S. Patent Office, 1941) of a type of refrigerator; used generically for "cold storage" since 1949.

deeply (adv.)

Old English deoplice "at or to a great depth," used in both literal and figurative senses; see deep (adj.) + -ly (2). Meaning "profoundly, thoroughly" is from c. 1200; that of "with strong feeling, passionately" from c. 1400. Of sighing from 1550s; of drinking from 1690s.

deep-sea (adj.)

"of or pertaining to the deeper parts of the ocean," 1620s, from deep (adj.) + sea.

deep-seated (adj.)

1741, "having its root far below the surface," hence "firmly implanted," from deep (adv.) + past participle of seat (v.). Figurative use is by 1847. Deep-rooted is from early 15c.

deep-set (adj.)

"set far downward or inward," originally of eyes, late 14c., from deep (adv.) + set (adj.).

deep six (n.)

"place where something is discarded," by 1921 (in phrase give (something) the deep six), originally in motorboating slang, perhaps from earlier underworld noun sense of "the grave" (1929), which is perhaps a reference to the usual grave depth of six feet. But the phrase (in common with mark twain) also figured in sailing jargon, of sounding, for a measure of six fathoms:

In general use by 1940s. As a verb from 1953.

deer (n.)

Old English deor "wild animal, beast, any wild quadruped," in early Middle English also used of ants and fish, from Proto-Germanic *deuzam, the general Germanic word for "animal" (as opposed to man), but often restricted to "wild animal" (source also of Old Frisian diar, Dutch dier, Old Norse dyr, Old High German tior, German Tier "animal," Gothic dius "wild animal," also see reindeer).

This is perhaps from PIE *dheusom "creature that breathes," from root *dheu- (1) "cloud, breath" (source also of Lithuanian dusti "gasp," dvėsti "gasp, perish;" Old Church Slavonic dychati "breathe"). For possible prehistoric sense development, compare Latin animal from anima "breath").

The sense specialization to a specific animal began in Old English (the usual Old English word for what we now call a deer was heorot; see hart), was common by 15c., and is now complete. It happened probably via hunting, deer being the favorite animal of the chase (compare Sanskrit mrga- "wild animal," used especially for "deer").

Deer-lick "salty spot where deer come to lick," is attested by 1778, in an American context. The deer-mouse (1840) is so called for its agility.

deerskin (n.)

"hide of a deer, or leather made from it," late 14c., from deer + skin (n.).

de-escalate (v.)

also deescalate, "reduce the intensity of," 1964, from de- "do the opposite of" + escalate. Related: De-escalated; de-escalating; de-escalation.

def (adj.)

"excellent," by 1979 in African-American vernacular, perhaps a shortened form of definite, or from a Jamaican variant of death.

defacement (n.)

"act or fact of defacing," 1560s, from deface + -ment.

deface (v.)

mid-14c., "to obliterate" (writing); late 14c., "to mar the face or surface of," from Old French desfacier "mutilate, destroy, disfigure," from des- "away from" (see dis-) + Vulgar Latin *facia (see face (n.)). Weaker sense of "to mar, make ugly" is late 14c. in English. Related: Defaced; defacing.

de facto

Latin, literally "in fact, in reality," thus, "existing, but not necessarily legally ordained or morally right;" from facto, ablative of factum "deed, act" (see de + fact).

defalcation (n.)

mid-15c., "act of cutting off or deducting a part" (originally in reference to withholding wages), from Old French defalcation and directly from Medieval Latin defalcationem (nominative defalcatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of defalcare, from de "off, away" (see de-) + Latin falx, falcem "sickle, scythe, pruning hook" (see falcate). Sense of "a monetary deficiency through breach of trust by one who has charge of funds belonging to others" is by 1846.

defalcate (v.)

1530s, "to lop off, take away or deduct a part of," from Medieval Latin defalcatus, past participle of defalcare, from de "off, away" (see de-) + Latin falx, falcem "sickle, scythe, pruning hook" (see falcate). Modern scientific use dates from 1808.

defame (v.)

"speak evil of, maliciously speak or write what injures the reputation of," c. 1300, from Old French defamer (13c., Modern French diffamer), from Medieval Latin defamare, from Latin diffamare "to spread abroad by ill report, make a scandal of," from dis-, here probably suggestive of ruination, + fama "a report, rumor" (from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say"). Related: Defamed; defaming.

defamation (n.)

c. 1300, defamacioun, "disgrace, dishonor, ill repute" (senses now obsolete), from Old French diffamacion and directly from Medieval Latin deffamation, from Latin diffamationem (nominative diffamatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of diffamare "to spread abroad by ill report, make a scandal of," from dis-, here probably suggestive of ruination, + fama "a report, rumor" (from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say").

From late 14c. as "the wrong of injuring another's reputation without justification." From early 15c. as "calumny, slander, an instance of defaming."

defamatory (adj.)

"containing defamation, caluminous, injurious to reputation," 1590s, from French diffamatoire, Medieval Latin diffamatorius "tending to defame," from diffamat-, past-participle stem of diffamare "to spread abroad by ill report, make a scandal of," from dis-, here probably suggestive of ruination, + fama "a report, rumor" (from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say"). Earlier in the same sense was defamative (c. 1500).

defatigable (adj.)

"liable to be wearied," 1650s, from defatigate (v.), 1550s, from Latin defatigatus, past participle of defatigare "to weary, tire out, exhaust with labor," from de "utterly, down, away" (see de-) + fatigare "to weary" (see fatigue (n.)). Also see indefatigable.

default (n.)

early 13c., "offense, crime, sin;" late 13c., "a failing or failure, failure to act," from Old French defaute (12c.) "fault, defect, failure, culpability, lack, privation," from Vulgar Latin *defallita "a deficiency or failure," past participle of *defallere, from Latin de "away" (see de-) + fallere "to deceive, to cheat; to put wrong, to lead astray, cause to be mistaken; to escape notice of, be concealed from" (see fail (v.)). The financial sense is first recorded 1858; the computing sense is from 1966.

default (v.)

late 14c., defalten, defauten, "be lacking, be missing," also "become weak," from default (n.). Restricted meaning "to fail in fulfilling or satisfying an obligation," especially a legal or pecuniary one, is from late 15c. Related: Defaulted; defaulting.

defaulter (n.)

"one who fails to perform some duty or obligation," 1650s, agent noun from default (v.).

defeasance (n.)

early 15c., "a condition on performance of which a deed is rendered void," from Anglo-French defesaunce, Old French desfaisance "undoing, destruction," from desfaire (Modern French défaire) "to undo, destroy," from Vulgar Latin *diffacere "undo, destroy," from Latin dis- "un-, not" (see dis-) + facere "to do, perform," from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put." Related: Defease; defeasible.

defeat (v.)

late 14c., defeten, diffaiten, "overcome (with sorrow or anger)," from Anglo-French defeter, from Old French desfait, past participle of desfaire "to undo," from Vulgar Latin *diffacere "undo, destroy," from Latin dis- "un-, not" (see dis-) + facere "to do, perform," from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put."

From early 15c. as "bring ruination, cause destruction" (now obsolete in this sense); from late 15c. as "frustrate, prevent the success of." Sense of "deprive of something expected, desired or striven for" is from 1530s. Meaning "overcome in a contest of any kind" is from 1560s. Related: Defeated; defeating. Compare defect, deficient.

defeat (n.)

1590s, "an undoing, ruin," from defeat (v.). From c. 1600 as "act of overcoming in a military contest;" by 1690s of other contests and struggles.

defeatism (n.)

"conduct tending to bring about acceptance of (the certainty of) defeat" [OED], 1918; see defeatist.

defeatist

1918, adjective and noun, in reference to pacifists and political opposition in Britain, from French défaitiste, which was used there in reference to the Russians who sought to end their war with Germany; see defeat (n.) + -ist. Their opposition, in the original Russian context, were called defensists.

defecate (v.)

1570s, "to purify, clarify, clear from dregs or impurities," from Latin defaecatus, past participle of defaecare "cleanse from dregs, purify," from the phrase de faece "from dregs" (see de- + feces). Figurative sense "purge of extraneous matter" is from 1620s. Excretory sense "void feces from the bowels" is by 1849 in medical writing, probably from French. Related: Defecated; defecating.

defecation (n.)

1640s, "purification of the mind or soul" (figurative); 1650s, "act or process of separating from lees or dregs, a cleansing from impurities," from Late Latin defecationem (nominative deficatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin defaecare "cleanse from dregs, purify," from the phrase de faece "from dregs" (see de- + feces). Meaning "act of evacuating the bowels" is from 1830. An Old English word for "bowel movement" was arse-gang literally "arse-going."

defective (adj.)

mid-14c., "having a defect or flaw of any kind, inferior, in bad condition," from Old French défectif (14c.) and directly from Late Latin defectivus "imperfect," from defect-, past-participle stem of deficere "to desert, revolt, fail," from de "down, away" (see de-) + combining form of facere "to do, make" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put").

In grammar, "wanting some of the usual forms of declension or conjugation" (late 15c.). Used in the sense of "mentally ill" from 1854 to c. 1935; as a noun, "person wanting in some physical or mental power," by 1869. Related: Defectively; defectiveness.

defection (n.)

1540s, "action of failing," especially in performance of duty or obligation; 1550s, "action of deserting or abandoning a party, leader, cause, etc." (in early use often of faith); from Latin defectionem (nominative defectio) "desertion, revolt, failure," noun of action from past-participle stem of deficere "to desert, revolt, fail," from de "down, away" (see de-) + combining form of facere "to do, make" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put").

defect (v.)

1570s, "to hurt, damage;" 1580s, "fail become deficient" (senses now obsolete); 1590s, "to desert, revolt," from Latin defectus, past participle of deficere "to fail, desert," from de "down, away" (see de-) + combining form of facere "to do, make" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). Related: Defected; defecting.

defect (n.)

early 15c., "want or lack of anything," especially lack of something essential to perfection or completeness, from Old French defect and directly from Latin defectus "failure, revolt, falling away," noun use of past participle of deficere "to fail, desert," from de "down, away" (see de-) + combining form of facere "to do, make" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put").

defector (n.)

"a seceder or deserter," 1660s, agent noun in Latin form from defect, or else from Latin defector "revolter," agent noun from deficere "to desert, revolt, fail," from de "down, away" (see de-) + combining form of facere "to do, make" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). Specifically of important persons who fled the Soviet-dominated countries to the West by 1953.

defeminize (v.)

"deprive of femininity," 1858, from de- "do the opposite of" + feminize. Related: Defeminized; defeminizing.

defence

see defense.

defender (n.)

c. 1300, defendour, "one who protects from injury a champion" (early 13c. as a surname), via Anglo-French from Old French defendeor, agent noun from defendre (see defend). The Latin word in this sense was defensor.

defend (v.)

mid-13c., defenden, "to shield from attack, guard against assault or injury," from Old French defendre (12c.) "defend, resist," and directly from Latin defendere "ward off, protect, guard, allege in defense," from de "from, away" (see de-) + -fendere "to strike, hit, push," attested only in compounds (such as offendere "to strike against; encounter;" infensus "aggressive, hostile"), from PIE root *gwhend- "to strike, kill" (source also of Hittite kue(n)zi "to kill," Sanskrit ghnanti "to kill; Greek theino "to slay, to kill;" Armenian jnem "to strike;" Lithuanian ginti "to protect, defend;" Old Irish gonaid "wounds, kills;" Welsh gwan "to thrust, hit;" Old Breton goanaff "to punish, sting").

It is attested from c. 1300 as "fight in defense of" (someone or something). From mid-14c. as "defend with words, speak in support of, vindicate, uphold, maintain." In Middle English it also could mean "forbid, prohibit; restrain, prevent." In the Mercian hymns, Latin defendet is glossed by Old English gescildeð. Related: Defended; defending.

defendant (n.)

c. 1400, in the legal sense "a party sued in a court of law," from Anglo-French, Old French defendant (Modern French défendant), noun use of present participle of defendre (see defend). Earliest use in English was as a present-participle adjective meaning "defensive, defending" (c. 1300).

defenestration (n.)

1620, "the action of throwing out of a window," from Latin fenestra "window." A word invented for one incident: the "Defenestration of Prague," May 21, 1618, when two Catholic deputies to the Bohemian national assembly and a secretary were tossed out the window of the castle of Hradschin by Protestant radicals (the pair landed in a trash heap and survived). It marked the start of the Thirty Years' War.

Klein (1966) sees in it an Etruscan borrowing, based on the suffix -(s)tra, as in Latin loan-words aplustre "the carved stern of a ship with its ornaments," genista "the plant broom," lanista "trainer of gladiators," and writes that it is not cognate with Greek phainein "to show," "as suggested by most lexicographers." Related: Defenestrate (1915); defenestrated (1620).

defensible (adj.)

c. 1300, "ready and able to fight, able to defend," from Old French defensable, from Medieval Latin defensibilis, Late Latin defensibilem, from Latin defens-, past-participle stem of defendere (see defend). Meaning "capable of being defended" is from late 14c., sense of "contributing to defense" is from c. 1400; that of "that may be vindicated" is from early 15c. Related: Defensibility.

defense (n.)

c. 1300, "action of guarding or shielding from attack or injury; act of defending by fighting; a fortified place of refuge," from Old French defense, from Latin defensus, past participle of defendere "ward off, protect" (see defend). It also arrived (without the final -e) from Old French defens, from Latin defensum "thing protected or forbidden," neuter past participle of defendere.

Middle English defens was assimilated into defense, but not before it inspired the alternative spelling defence, via the same tendency that produced hence (hennis), pence (penies), dunce (Duns). Webster made the -se form standard in U.S., but British has preferred defence, and compare fence (n.).

Meaning "a speech or writing intended to repel or disprove a charge or accusation" is from late 14c., as is the sense of "method adopted by one against whom a lawsuit has been brought." Meaning "science of defense against attack" (in fencing, boxing, etc.) is from c. 1600. Used by 1935 as a euphemism for "national military resources," but the notion (non-euphemistic) was in Middle English: man of defense "warrior," ship of defense "warship." Defenses "natural weapons of an animal" is by 1889. Defense mechanism in psychology is from 1913.

defensive (adj.)

c. 1400, "serving to defend, proper for defense; of the nature of defense," from Old French defensif (14c., Modern French défensif) and directly 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.

As a noun, "that which defends or serves for defense," c. 1400, originally of medicines. Meaning "posture or attitude of defense" is from c. 1600.

defenseless (adj.)

also defenceless, "being without means of repelling assault or injury," 1520s, from defense + -less. Related: Defenselessly; defenselessness.

defer (v.1)

"to delay, put off, postpone," late 14c., differren, deferren, from Old French diferer (14c.) and directly from Latin differre "carry apart, scatter, disperse;" also "be different, differ;" also "defer, put off, postpone," from assimilated form of dis- "away from" (see dis-) + ferre "to bear, carry" (from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry").

Etymologically identical with differ; their spelling and pronunciation were differentiated from 15c., perhaps partly by association of this word with delay. Related: Deferred; deferring.

defer (v.2)

"yield, offer, render," mid-15c., "leave to another's judgment or determination," from Old French deferer "to yield, comply" (14c., Modern French déférer), from Latin deferre "carry away, transfer, grant," from de "down, away" (see de-) + ferre "to carry," from PIE root *bher- (1) "to carry." Sense of "refer (a matter) to someone" also was in the Latin verb. Related: Deferred; deferring.

deferent (adj.)

1620s, "bearing off or away," from French déférent (16c.), from Latin deferentem (nominative deferens), present participle of deferre "to carry down or away" (see defer (v.2)). Earlier in Middle English as a word in Ptolemaic astronomy (early 15c.) to explain the apparent motion of planets.

deferment (n.)

1610s, "a putting off, postponement," from defer (v.1) + -ment. As "conditional exemption from a military draft," by 1918, American English.

deferred (adj.)

"delayed," 1650s, past-participle adjective from defer (v.1).

deference (n.)

"a yielding in opinion, submission to the judgment of another," 1640s, from French déférence (16c.), from déférer "to yield, comply" (see defer (v.2)).

deferential (adj.)

"respectful in manner, characterized by deference," 1822, from deference. As a word in anatomy, "conveying away or carrying off," 1877, from deferent (adj.) + -ial. Related: Deferentially.

deferral (n.)

"deferment," 1840, from defer (v.1) + -al (2).

defy (v.)

c. 1300, defien, "to renounce one's allegiance;" mid-14c., "to challenge to fight, dare to meet in combat;" from Old French defier, desfier "to challenge, defy, provoke; renounce (a belief), repudiate (a vow, etc.)," from Vulgar Latin *disfidare "renounce one's faith" (in Medieval Latin diffidare), from Latin dis- "away" (see dis-) + fidus "faithful" (from PIE root *bheidh- "to trust, confide, persuade"). By 1670s as "dare (someone) to do something (that the challenger believes cannot or will not be done)."

defiance (n.)

c. 1300, defiaunce, "a challenge to fight, invitation to combat," from Old French desfiance "challenge, declaration of war," from desfiant, present participle of desfier "to challenge, defy, provoke; renounce (a belief), repudiate (a vow, etc.)," from Vulgar Latin *disfidare "renounce one's faith," from Latin dis- "away" (see dis-) + fidus "faithful" (from PIE root *bheidh- "to trust, confide, persuade"). By 1710 as "contempt of opposition or danger."

defiant (adj.)

"characterized by bold opposition or antagonism," 1837, from French défiant, present participle of défier "to challenge, defy, provoke" (see defy). Related: Defiantly. Compare diffident.

defibrillation (n.)

"stopping of fibrillation," by 1936; by 1940 specifically in reference to heartbeat, from de- + fibrillation "a beating in an abnormal way," especially of the muscles of the heart that contract irregularly in this condition.

defibrillator (n.)

by 1953, an agent-noun form probably based on defibrillation.

deficiency (n.)

1630s, "state of falling short, a lack or failing;" 1660s, "that in which a person or thing is deficient, inadequacy," from Late Latin deficientia, from deficient-, present-participle stem of deficere "to desert, revolt, fail," from de "down, away" (see de-) + combining form of facere "to do, make" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). The older English word, now rare or obsolete, was deficience (mid-15c.).

deficient (adj.)

1580s, "lacking, wanting, incomplete;" c. 1600 "not having a full or adequate supply," from Latin deficientem (nominative deficiens), present participle of deficere "to desert, revolt, fail," from de "down, away" (see de-) + combining form of facere "to do, make" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). Compare defective. Related: Deficiently. Blount's "Glossographia" (1656) has conficient (from Latin conficiens) "which finisheth, procureth, or worketh."