1
Stage 1 of 3
disfacere
Vulgar Latin · medieval
"to undo, to destroy"
to undo, to destroy, from dis- (apart) and facere (to make)
2
Stage 2 of 3
desfait
Old French · medieval
"an undoing, a rout"
carried into French for an undoing, especially of an army in battle
3
Stage 3 of 3
defeat
English · 1400s
"to overcome an opponent in a contest or battle"
settled as the English word for overcoming an opponent in a contest
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