defendant

Where does the word "defendant" come from? It comes from Latin defendere, and was adopted directly into English (1300s).

Defendant’s story begins in Latin: defendere meant “to ward off, to protect.” To ward off, to protect, from de- (away) and fendere (to strike). It reached English by 1300s as defendant. Settled as the English word for the party accused in a legal case. Today, defendant means a person or party accused or sued in a court of law.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient defendere "to ward off, to protect", to ward off, to protect, from de- (away) and fendere (to strike).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1300s defendant "the party accused or sued in a legal case", settled as the English word for the party accused in a legal case.