Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

defer

/dɪˈfɝ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.20 in modern English

Syllables: de-fer
IPA: /dɪˈfɝ/

9

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

2

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To delay or postpone.

Transitive verb

verb

To delay or postpone.

Transitive verb

verb

After winning the opening coin toss, to postpone until the start of the second half a team's choice of whether to kick off or receive (and to allow the opposing team to make this choice at the start of the first half).

verb

To delay, to wait.

Intransitive verb

verb

To submit to the opinion or desire of others in respect to their judgment or authority.

verb

To render, to offer.

Example Sentences

"We're going to defer the decision until we have all the facts."
"Deferre the ſpoile of the Citie vntill night:"
"My journey to Ingolstadt, which had been deferred by these events, was now again determined upon."
"God […] will not long defer / To vindicate the glory of his name"
"Hereupon the commissioners […] deferred the matter to the Earl of Northumberland."
""Defer/Defer/To the Lord High Executioner.""

Etymology

Originally a variant of (and hence a doublet of) differ; from Middle English differren (“to postpone”), from Old French differer, from Latin differō. Doublet of differ and dilate. See also infer, collate and confer, delate and defer, relate and refer as well as prelate and prefer among others.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: *bʰer-, differren, differer, differō, déférer, dēferō

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /dɪˈfɝ/
British English: /dɪˈfɜː/

Usage

Inflected Forms

defers (present, singular) deferring (participle, present) deferred (participle, past) deferred (past)

Derived Forms

deferment deferrability deferrable deferral deferrer nondeferring overdefer redefer deference

Phrases

tax-deferred

Frequently Paired Words

differ

Synonyms

submit bow accede give in postpone prorogue hold over put over table shelve set back remit

Rhymes With

were her per sir transfer prefer occur refer der inter fur entrepreneur

Questions

How do you pronounce defer?: The recorded pronunciation is /dɪˈfɝ/.
What does defer mean?: To delay or postpone.
Where does defer come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce defer

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “defer”.
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