Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

defenseless

/dɪˈfɛnsləs/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.05 in modern English

Syllables: de-fense-less
IPA: /dɪˈfɛnsləs/

15

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

3

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Lacking any form of defense; vulnerable; open to attack.

Example Sentences

"Her look, her attitude, her words were eloquent of the age-old appeal of defenseless woman to her natural protector—man."
"On the port tack layline , you're defenseless against starboard tackers — you have to dip them , no matter how much you may lose doing it — and the wind shadow of boats spinnakering away from the mark can cost you plenty."

Etymology

Etymology tree English defense Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Middle English -les English -less English defenseless From defense + -less.

Regional Pronunciation

British English: /dɪˈfɛnsləs/

Inflected Forms

more defenseless (comparative) most defenseless (superlative) defenceless (alternative)

Derived Forms

defenselessly defenselessness

Synonyms

naked defenceless defenselessly defencelessly

Homonyms

defenceless

Rhymes With

senseless fenceless

Questions

How do you pronounce defenseless?: The recorded pronunciation is /dɪˈfɛnsləs/.
What does defenseless mean?: Lacking any form of defense; vulnerable; open to attack.
Where does defenseless come from?: Etymology tree English defense Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Middle English -les English -less English defenseless From defense + -less.

How to pronounce defenseless

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