English · Word Candidate

defensive

/dɪˈfɛn.sɪv/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: defensives

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Intended for defence; protective.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

nhằm bảo vệ

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

a defensive perimeter

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Intended to deter attack.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

nhằm ngăn chặn tấn công

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

a defensive missile system

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

A means, attitude or position of defense. Chiefly in on the defensive.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

phương tiện, thái độ hoặc vị trí phòng thủ

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

The Germans had developed a highly scientific defensive in which machine-guns replaced rifles and a maximum of punishment was inflicted upon an assaulting force with a minimum of human loss.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “defensive” mean?

Intended for defence; protective.

Is “defensive” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.