# defendant

> English word · Adjective · IPA /dɪˈfɛnd.ənt/ · frequency rank #7,333

## Definitions
1. Serving, or suitable, for defense; defensive, defending.

## Etymology
From Middle English defendaunt (“defending; defending in a suit”), borrowed from Old French defendant, present participle of defendre, from Latin dēfendere.

## Easily confused with
- **defending** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/defendant-vs-defending)
- **dependent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/defendant-vs-dependent)
- **dependant** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/defendant-vs-dependant)
- **defendants** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/defendant-vs-defendants)
- **descendant** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/defendant-vs-descendant)

## Common misspellings (14)
`ddefendant`, `deefndant`, `defednant`, `defenadnt`, `defendannt`, `defendantt`, `defendatn`, `defenddant`, `defendnat`, `defenndant`, `deffendant`, `defnedant`, `dfeendant`, `edfendant`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/defendant