defensor

/dɪˈfɛnsə(ɹ)/

//dɪˈfɛnsə(ɹ)// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"defensor" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“defensor” is uncommon English (frequency #77,585 among 26,416 “D” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#77,585
frequency rank, English
26,416
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - one who defends; a defender

Key facts for defensor
PropertyValue
Headworddefensor
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/dɪˈfɛnsə(ɹ)/
Letters8
Frequency rank#77,585
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “defensor” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). defensor lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

defensor is uncommon English at frequency #77,585 among 26,416 “D” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /dɪˈfɛnsə(ɹ)/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for defensor in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin dēfēnsor. The correct English form is defensor, spelled D-E-F-E-N-S-O-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    one who defends; a defender
  2. 2
    a defender or advocate in court; a guardian or protector
  3. 3
    the patron of a church; an officer having charge of the temporal affairs of a church

Etymology

From Latin dēfēnsor.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "defensor"?
"defensor" is spelled D-E-F-E-N-S-O-R. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈfɛnsə(ɹ)/.
What does "defensor" mean?
As a noun, "defensor" means: one who defends; a defender
How do you pronounce "defensor"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "defensor" is /dɪˈfɛnsə(ɹ)/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "defensor"?
From Latin dēfēnsor. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “defensor”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-F-E-N-S-O-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɪˈfɛnsə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list