Defensible
/dɪˈfɛn.sə.bəl/noun
Able to be defended or justified.
Did you know?It ultimately comes from Latin *defendere*, meaning to ward off or repel, the same ancient root behind English words like ‘fend’ and ‘defense.’
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
defendere
“to ward off, repel, protect”
Late Latin
Latin
defensibilis
“able to be defended”
Old French
Old French
defensible
“defensible, capable of being defended”
Middle English
English
defensible
“able to be defended or justified”
Modern English
English
defensible
“able to be defended or justified”