self-défense
\sɛlf de.fɑ̃s\
The verdict
“self-défense” is uncommon French (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency French
- 12
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Synonyme de autodéfense.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | self-défense |
| Language | French |
| Part of speech | Noun |
| IPA | \sɛlf de.fɑ̃s\ |
| Letters | 12 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “self-défense” sits in French frequency
Rare enough to double-check
self-défense is uncommon French outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed \sɛlf de.fɑ̃s\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Synonyme de autodéfense.".
self-défense has no tracked misspelling variants, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.
This entry carries no recorded etymology, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct French form is self-défense, spelled S-E-L-F---D-É-F-E-N-S-E.
Definition
- 1Synonyme de autodéfense.
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-défense”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct French spelling is S-E-L-F---D-É-F-E-N-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as \sɛlf de.fɑ̃s\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French 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.