Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

defensively

/dɪˈfɛnsɪvli/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.28 in modern English

Syllables: de-fen-sive-ly
IPA: /dɪˈfɛnsɪvli/

21

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

4

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

In a defensive manner.

Example Sentences

"This is a particularly disruptive tactic if the opponent also prefers an offensive style and has difficulty fighting defensively or counteroffensively."
"England, defensively, were not good enough - nowhere near the standard that would be acceptable at the highest international level."
"It's fine. I think I could be ... semitarian, maybe? Half vegetarian? It's a thing,' he adds, a little defensively"

Etymology

Etymology tree English defensive Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English defensively From defensive + -ly.

Regional Pronunciation

British English: /dɪˈfɛnsɪvli/

Inflected Forms

more defensively (comparative) most defensively (superlative) defencively (alternative, archaic)

Derived Forms

nondefensively

Rhymes With

extensively offensively comprehensively intensively inexpensively expensively

Questions

How do you pronounce defensively?: The recorded pronunciation is /dɪˈfɛnsɪvli/.
What does defensively mean?: In a defensive manner.
Where does defensively come from?: Etymology tree English defensive Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English defensively From defensive + -ly.

How to pronounce defensively

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