self-defense
"self-defense" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“self-defense” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 12
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The means of defending oneself from physical attack.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | self-defense |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| Letters | 12 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “self-defense” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
self-defense is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.
No generated misspelling entries exist for self-defense in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.
Etymologically, the entry records: From self- + defense. First used by Hobbes in the 1650s. The correct English form is self-defense, spelled S-E-L-F---D-E-F-E-N-S-E.
Definition
- 1The means of defending oneself from physical attack.
- 2The right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force, which can be used as justification in several charges including murder, assault, and battery.
Etymology
From self- + defense. First used by Hobbes in the 1650s.
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “self-defense”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is S-E-L-F---D-E-F-E-N-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
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.