Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

defection

/dɪˈfɛkʃən/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.91 in modern English

Syllables: de-fec-tion
IPA: /dɪˈfɛkʃən/

15

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

3

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An act or incidence of defecting.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"military defection"
"political defection"
"mass defection"
"The general’s sudden defection shocked the government."
"The party suffered another defection to the opposition."

Etymology

From Latin dēfectiō (stem dēfectiōn-).

Origin

Source language: Latin

Word Breakdown

Root: dēfectiō

Regional Pronunciation

British English: /dɪˈfɛkʃən/

Usage

Inflected Forms

defections (plural)

Derived Forms

defectionism defectionist nondefection postdefection predefection redefection

Frequently Paired Words

defect defective defector deficiency deficient deficit

Synonyms

desertion abandonment apostasy renunciation

Rhymes With

election section collection direction protection connection selection infection reflection inspection detection perfection

Questions

How do you pronounce defection?: The recorded pronunciation is /dɪˈfɛkʃən/.
What does defection mean?: An act or incidence of defecting.
Where does defection come from?: It is traced to Latin.

How to pronounce defection

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “defection”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/dɪˈfɛkʃən/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “defection”.
Repeat and practice — Say “defection” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.