defender

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A lawyer who represents defendants, especially a public defender; a defense attorney (US) or defence counsel (UK).

   There was another protection to which she was intitled by that law, namely, a defender; but she had none.

2. 2
   noun

   a person who cares for persons or property

3. 3
   noun

   a fighter who holds out against attack

4. 4
   noun

   Someone who defends people or property.

5. 5
   noun

   One of the players whose primary task is to prevent the opposition from scoring.

6. 6
   noun

   A fighter who seeks to repel an attack.

7. 7
   noun

   A defendant in a civil action.

Etymology

From Middle English defender, deffender, defendere, defendour, defendoure, partly from Anglo-Norman defendour, from Old French defendëor; partly from Middle English defenden + -ere, equivalent to defend + -er.