defiant etymology

Etymology

The word "defiant" is derived from the Old French word "desfi", meaning "to challenge or provoke". It entered the English language in the 14th century and has been in use ever since.

Meaning

Defiant means:

• Openly resisting or disobeying someone or something
• Expressing defiance or resistance
• Boldly challenging or opposing

Origin

The word "desfi" is believed to have originated from the Latin word "diffidere", which means "to have no trust or confidence". This suggests that the original meaning of "defiant" was "distrustful" or "lacking confidence". Over time, the meaning of the word evolved to its current sense of "resisting or disobeying".

Examples

• The defiant teenager refused to obey their parents.
• The defiant soldiers refused to surrender to the enemy.
• The defiant speech challenged the authority of the government.

defiant relate terms

• defy

  Etymology The word defy originates from the Old French word desfier meaning to chal

• diffident

  Etymology The word diffident comes from the Latin word diffidere which means to dis

• diffidence

  Etymology French diffidence from Late Latin diffidentia lack of trust from diffide

• outlaw

  Etymology The word outlaw has Old English origins Ut out Denoting separation

• profanity

  Etymology The word profanity originates from the Latin word profanus which means ou

• live

  Etymology The word live has its origins in the Middle English word liven which is de

• body

  Etymology Old English bod Proto Germanic bodaz Proto Indo European bʰedʰ Mean

• complaint

  Etymology The word complaint comes from the Old French word complaindre which means

• matrix

  Etymology The English word matrix is derived from the Latin word matrix meaning wo

• opportunity

  Etymology The word opportunity comes from the Latin word opportunitas which means f

• fall

  Etymology Middle English fallen Old English feallan Proto Germanic fallaną Meani

• Catholic

  Etymology The word Catholic is derived from the Greek adjective katholikos meaning

• inchoate

  Etymology Late Latin īnchōātus past participle of īnchōāre to begin From Proto