Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

defy

/dɪˈfaɪ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.42 in modern English

Syllables: de-fy
IPA: /dɪˈfaɪ/

11

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

2

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To challenge (someone) or brave (a hazard or opposition).

Transitive verb

verb

To refuse to obey.

Transitive verb

verb

To not conform to or follow a pattern, set of rules or expectations.

verb

To renounce or dissolve all bonds of affiance, faith, or obligation with; to reject, refuse, or renounce.

Obsolete; Transitive verb

noun

Obsolete

Example Sentences

"to defy an enemy; to defy the power of a magistrate; to defy the arguments of an opponent; to defy public opinion"
"I once again / Defie thee to the trial of mortal fight."
""So you actually think yours is good-looking?" sneered the Baker. "Why, I could make a better-looking one out of a piece of dough." "I defy you to," the Hansom-driver replied. "A face like mine is not easily copied. Nor am I the only person of that opinion. All the ladies think that I am beautiful. And of course I go by what they think.""
"If you defy your teacher you may end up in detention."
"Before coalition forces arrived, Iraq was ruled by a dictatorship that murdered its own citizens, threatened its neighbors, and defied the world."
"British journalists shun complete respectability, feeling a duty to be ready to savage the mighty, or rummage through their bins. Elsewhere in Europe, government contracts and subsidies ensure that press barons will only defy the mighty so far."

Etymology

From Old French desfier, from Vulgar Latin *disfidare (“renounce one's faith”), from Latin dis- (“away”) + fidus (“faithful”). Meaning shifted in the 14th century from "be disloyal" to "challenge". Contrast confide, fidelity, faith.

Origin

Source language: Old French

Word Breakdown

Root: *bʰeydʰ-, desfier, *disfidare, dis-

Usage

Inflected Forms

defies (present, singular) defying (participle, present) defied (participle, past) defied (past) defies (plural)

Derived Forms

defiable defier defyer redefy undefied

Phrases

death-defying defy belief

Frequently Paired Words

defiance defiant

Synonyms

dare withstand hold hold up resist refuse

Rhymes With

by my why high try guy buy july drive-by die eye hi

Questions

How do you pronounce defy?: The recorded pronunciation is /dɪˈfaɪ/.
What does defy mean?: To challenge (someone) or brave (a hazard or opposition).
Where does defy come from?: It is traced to Old French.

How to pronounce defy

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