adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK, US:/dɪˈfɛn.sɪ.bəl/
UK, US:[dɪˈfɛn.sɪ.bɫ]
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian:[dɪˈfen.sɪ.bɫ]
CMU ARPABET:D IH0 F EH1 N S AH0 B AH0 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Capable of being defended against armed attack.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Capable of being justified.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adjective satellite
Meaning 3
capable of being defended
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: defendable
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Old French defensable, from Latin defensibilem. Equivalent to defense + -ible.
Across languages
Translations
25 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
защитим
(zaštitim)
— capable of being defended
Danish:
forsvarlig
— capable of being defended
Danish:
som kan forsvares
— capable of being defended
Finnish:
puolustettavissa
— capable of being defended
Greek:
υπερασπίσιμος
(yperaspísimos)
— capable of being defended
Ido:
defensebla
— capable of being defended
Italian:
sostenibile
— capable of being defended
Italian:
difendibile
— capable of being defended
Italian:
tenibile
— capable of being defended
Manx:
so-choadey
— capable of being defended
Polish:
możliwy do obrony
— capable of being defended
Portuguese:
defensável
— capable of being defended
Spanish:
defendible
— capable of being defended
Danish:
forsvarlig
— capable of being justified
Danish:
som kan forsvares
— capable of being justified
Finnish:
perusteltavissa
— capable of being justified
Finnish:
puolustettavissa
— capable of being justified
French:
défendable
— capable of being justified
Italian:
difendibile
— capable of being justified
Italian:
sostenibile
— capable of being justified
Italian:
tenibile
— capable of being justified
Norwegian Bokmål:
forsvarlig
— capable of being justified
Polish:
uzasadniony
— capable of being justified
Portuguese:
defensável
— capable of being justified
