Afrikaans verdedig | ||
Albanian mbroj | ||
Amharic ተከላከል | ||
Arabic الدفاع | ||
Armenian պաշտպանել | ||
Assamese প্ৰতিৰক্ষা | ||
Aymara arxataña | ||
Azerbaijani müdafiə etmək | ||
Bambara ka lakana | ||
Basque defendatu | ||
Belarusian абараняць | ||
Bengali রক্ষা করা | ||
Bhojpuri रक्षा कईल | ||
Bosnian braniti | ||
Bulgarian защитавам | ||
Catalan defensar | ||
Cebuano pagpanalipod | ||
Chinese (Simplified) 捍卫 | ||
Chinese (Traditional) 保衛 | ||
Corsican difende | ||
Croatian braniti | ||
Czech hájit | ||
Danish forsvare | ||
Dhivehi ދިފާޢުވުން | ||
Dogri हिफाजत करना | ||
Dutch verdedigen | ||
English defend | ||
Esperanto defendi | ||
Estonian kaitsma | ||
Ewe ʋli ta | ||
Filipino (Tagalog) ipagtanggol | ||
Finnish puolustaa | ||
French défendre | ||
Frisian ferdigenje | ||
Galician defender | ||
Georgian დაიცავი | ||
German verteidigen | ||
Greek υπερασπίζω | ||
Guarani pysyrõ | ||
Gujarati કોઈ રન નોંધાયો નહીં | ||
Haitian Creole defann | ||
Hausa kare | ||
Hawaiian pale aku | ||
Hebrew לְהַגֵן | ||
Hindi बचाव | ||
Hmong tiv thaiv | ||
Hungarian megvédeni | ||
Icelandic verja | ||
Igbo chebe | ||
Ilocano depensaan | ||
Indonesian membela | ||
Irish chosaint | ||
Italian difendere | ||
Japanese 守る | ||
Javanese mbela | ||
Kannada ರಕ್ಷಿಸಿ | ||
Kazakh қорғау | ||
Khmer ការពារ | ||
Kinyarwanda kurengera | ||
Konkani संरक्षण | ||
Korean 지키다 | ||
Krio protɛkt | ||
Kurdish parastin | ||
Kurdish (Sorani) بەرگری کردن | ||
Kyrgyz коргоо | ||
Lao ປ້ອງກັນ | ||
Latin defendere | ||
Latvian aizstāvēt | ||
Lingala kobunda | ||
Lithuanian ginti | ||
Luganda okuwolereza | ||
Luxembourgish verdeedegen | ||
Macedonian брани | ||
Maithili रक्षा | ||
Malagasy hiaro | ||
Malay mempertahankan | ||
Malayalam പ്രതിരോധിക്കുക | ||
Maltese tiddefendi | ||
Maori parepare | ||
Marathi बचाव | ||
Meiteilon (Manipuri) ꯉꯥꯛꯊꯣꯛꯄ | ||
Mizo in veng | ||
Mongolian хамгаалах | ||
Myanmar (Burmese) ခုခံကာကွယ်ပါ | ||
Nepali रक्षा गर्नुहोस् | ||
Norwegian forsvare | ||
Nyanja (Chichewa) kuteteza | ||
Odia (Oriya) ରକ୍ଷା କର | ||
Oromo irraa ittisuu | ||
Pashto دفاع | ||
Persian دفاع | ||
Polish bronić | ||
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) defender | ||
Punjabi ਬਚਾਓ | ||
Quechua harkay | ||
Romanian apăra | ||
Russian защищать | ||
Samoan puipuia | ||
Sanskrit रक्ष् | ||
Scots Gaelic dìon | ||
Sepedi šireletša | ||
Serbian бранити | ||
Sesotho sireletsa | ||
Shona kudzivirira | ||
Sindhi دفاع ڪريو | ||
Sinhala (Sinhalese) ආරක්ෂා කරන්න | ||
Slovak brániť sa | ||
Slovenian braniti | ||
Somali difaaco | ||
Spanish defender | ||
Sundanese ngabélaan | ||
Swahili kutetea | ||
Swedish försvara | ||
Tagalog (Filipino) ipagtanggol | ||
Tajik дифоъ кунед | ||
Tamil பாதுகாக்க | ||
Tatar яклау | ||
Telugu రక్షించు | ||
Thai ป้องกัน | ||
Tigrinya ምክልኻል | ||
Tsonga sirhelela | ||
Turkish savunmak | ||
Turkmen goramak | ||
Twi (Akan) bɔ ban | ||
Ukrainian захищати | ||
Urdu دفاع | ||
Uyghur مۇداپىئە | ||
Uzbek himoya qilmoq | ||
Vietnamese phòng thủ | ||
Welsh amddiffyn | ||
Xhosa khusela | ||
Yiddish באַשיצן | ||
Yoruba gbeja | ||
Zulu vikela |
| Language | Etymology / Notes |
|---|---|
| Afrikaans | Verdedig means 'green' or 'vegetable' in the 1602 Bible translation by Jan van der Linde, but the modern meaning is 'defend'. |
| Albanian | It is also sometimes used in the sense of protecting or safeguarding. |
| Amharic | The word "ተከላከል" (defend) in Amharic shares its root with other words like "ተከላ" (depend on) and "መከል" (ask). |
| Arabic | Etymology: from (دَفَعَ (dafa‘a - to ward off or prevent - cognate with the English "defend" which has the same origin. |
| Azerbaijani | The word "müdafiə etmək" in Azerbaijani can also mean "to protect", "to guard", or "to support". |
| Basque | The word 'defendatu' also means 'to protect' in Basque. |
| Belarusian | "Абараняць" comes from the Slavic root "oboron-", which also gave rise to the Russian word "оборонять" and the Polish word "obronić". |
| Bengali | The word "রক্ষা করা" can also mean "to protect" or "to guard". |
| Bosnian | The word "braniti" also means "to protect" and is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *borniti, which means "to fight". |
| Bulgarian | The word "защитавам" comes from Slavic, and originally meant "to hold back" or "to bar". |
| Catalan | The Catalan word 'defensar' also means 'to support' or 'to protect', sharing its etymology with the Latin verb 'defendere' meaning 'to ward off' |
| Cebuano | Cognate of 'proteger' in Spanish, coming from Latin 'protegere' meaning 'to cover' or 'shield' |
| Chinese (Simplified) | The character "卫" (wei) in "捍卫" originally meant "to protect", hence the meaning of "defending". |
| Chinese (Traditional) | The character "保" in "保衛" represents protection through wrapping and covering, while "衛" means shielding and guarding an area or person from danger. |
| Corsican | Corsican "difende" also means "to forbid" or "to prevent". |
| Croatian | The word "braniti" in Croatian also has the meaning of "to protect" or "to guard". |
| Czech | The word "hájit" can also refer to throwing something, such as a stone or a javelin. |
| Danish | The word “forsvare” was originally used in the sense of “to answer” or “to justify”. |
| Dutch | The Dutch verb 'verdedigen' (defend) comes from the noun 'verdediging' (defense), which in turn comes from the Latin verb 'defendere' (to ward off). |
| Esperanto | The Esperanto word 'defendi' is derived from the Latin verb 'defendere', meaning 'to protect' or 'to guard'. |
| Estonian | The word "kaitsma" in Estonian is derived from the Proto-Finnic word "*kojˀt-," which originally meant "to hide" or "to protect." |
| Finnish | Puolustaa, from root *puol*, means to 'stick to' or 'hold on to,' implying defense as a means of retention. |
| French | The French verb "défendre" can also mean to forbid or prohibit something. |
| Frisian | The etymology of the word "ferdigenje" is unclear, but it may be related to the Old Frisian word "ferdigena" meaning "to protect" or "to defend". |
| Galician | In Galician, "defender" can also refer to a legal guardian appointed for a minor or a person with a disability. |
| German | "Verteidigen" originally comes from the verb "dingen". It meant "to hire". Someone who was hired to fight or protect was called a "Dingmann". |
| Greek | The term υπερασπίζω, meaning literally 'to cover with one's shield,' was also used as a legal phrase meaning 'to plead someone's case in court.' |
| Gujarati | The word "defend" comes from the Latin word "defendere," which means "to ward off" or "to protect." |
| Haitian Creole | Defann in Haitian Creole shares the same etymology as the French word "défendre" and can also mean "support" or "uphold". |
| Hausa | Kare is often used figuratively or metaphorically in Hausa to refer to the protection of one's honor or dignity. |
| Hawaiian | Although in most contexts "pale aku" means "defend", it can also mean "protect" or "rescue". |
| Hebrew | "לְהַגֵן" also refers to gardening or working on a plot of land. |
| Hindi | The word "बचाव" (bachaav) can also mean "to save" or "to protect". |
| Hmong | The word "tiv thaiv" can also mean "prevent" or "protect" in Hmong. |
| Hungarian | The Hungarian word "megvédeni" is a compound word, formed from the words "meg" (denoting completion) and "védeni" (meaning "to guard", "to protect"). |
| Icelandic | Although it is pronounced "verja" in Icelandic, it has no relation to the Spanish word "verja" (meaning "fence" or "grating"). |
| Igbo | In Igbo, the word "chebe" can also mean "to protect" or "to shield". |
| Indonesian | The word "membela" is derived from the Sanskrit word "mandal", which means "circle" or "assembly". |
| Irish | The Irish word "chosaint" originally meant "to protect" or "to shelter". |
| Italian | In Italian, "difendere" can also mean "to shield" or "to protect". |
| Japanese | The word "守る" (mamoru) can also mean "to keep" or "to guard". |
| Javanese | The word "mbela" can also mean "to protect" or "to guard". |
| Kannada | The word "ರಕ್ಷಿಸಿ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "रक्ष" (rakṣa), meaning "to protect" or "to guard". |
| Kazakh | The word "қорғау" also means "protect" or "shelter" in Kazakh. |
| Khmer | The term "ការពារ" can refer to defending both a position or argument and physical protection. |
| Korean | "지키다" can also mean "to wait for" or "to keep something in the same place." |
| Kurdish | The Kurdish word "parastin" is derived from the Proto-Indo-Iranian root "*parastā-," which also gave rise to the English word "protection". |
| Kyrgyz | The word "коргоо" also means "protection", "shield", and "fence" in Kyrgyz. |
| Latin | The Latin verb "defendere" also means "to ward off" or "to forbid". |
| Latvian | The Latvian word "aizstāvēt" has an interesting etymology, possibly originating from the Old Prussian "astans" (meaning "stand") or the Sanskrit "stav" (meaning "to praise"). |
| Lithuanian | Lithuanian word "ginti" also means "to graze" and originates from the hypothetical Proto-Indo-European root *gʰendh- meaning "to hold tightly". |
| Luxembourgish | The word "verdeedegen" in Luxembourgish is derived from the Old High German word "fartedingen", meaning "to protect or guard". |
| Macedonian | The word "брани" in Macedonian can also refer to a fence or a border, as it derives from the Proto-Slavic word *borniti, meaning "to protect or defend." |
| Malagasy | The Malagasy word "hiaro" also means "to deny" and "to conceal". |
| Malay | "Mempertahankan" comes from the Malay root word "tahan," meaning "to withstand," and shares its root with "tahan sakit" (endurance), "tahan lapar" (resilience), and "tahan uji" (steadfastness). |
| Maltese | In the past, the word 'tiddefendi' was used to mean 'protect' and 'preserve'. |
| Maori | The word "parepare" in Maori can also refer to a fortified place or a defensive line. |
| Marathi | The Marathi word 'बचाव' translates to both 'defense' and 'protection', suggesting its dual role as a shield and a safeguard. |
| Mongolian | The word "хамгаалах" can also mean "to protect", "to shield", or "to guard". |
| Nepali | "रक्षा गर्नुहोस्" is also used in the sense of "to protect" or "to guard" something. |
| Norwegian | "Forsvare" is also used in Norwegian to describe protecting one's honor or reputation. |
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | Etymology: Probably from the Proto-Bantu root *-teteza 'to protect'. |
| Pashto | The word "دفاع" (defend) in Pashto also means "protection" or "shelter". |
| Persian | Persian "دفاع" (defend) derives from Arabic "دفع" meaning "reject" and "prevent" and is also related to the Persian word "فایده" (benefit) |
| Polish | In the language of the Prussians, the name of the Supreme God is *Bruntas* - a defender, guardian. |
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | "Defender" comes from the Latin verb "defendere" which means "to protect" but it can also mean "to forbid, prohibit". |
| Punjabi | The word "ਬਚਾਓ" can also mean "to save" or "to protect" in Punjabi. |
| Romanian | The Romanian word "apăra" also means "to appear" or "to be seen". |
| Russian | The verb “защищать” comes from the Old Russian “щитити”, meaning “to cover with a shield or other protective gear” |
| Samoan | The word “puipuia” means “to defend” in Samoan, and is derived from the root word “puipui” meaning “to protect”. |
| Scots Gaelic | The noun dìon also means "shelter, protection" or "stronghold, fort" in Scots Gaelic. |
| Serbian | The verb 'бранити' can also mean 'to forbid'. |
| Sesotho | The word "sireletsa" in Sesotho can also mean "to guard" or "to protect". |
| Shona | In addition to its primary meaning of "defend," kudzivirira can also mean "to protect" or "to guard." |
| Sindhi | The word "دفاع ڪريو" in Sindhi can also refer to the act of supporting or advocating for someone or something. |
| Slovak | Brániť sa may also mean to protect, maintain, uphold, keep, or preserve. |
| Slovenian | In archaic or literary use, "braniti" also means to forbid. |
| Somali | The word "difaaco" also means "protection" in Somali. |
| Spanish | Defender can also mean “to prohibit” and “to prevent” in Spanish. |
| Sundanese | The word "ngabélaan" can also mean "to resist" or "to oppose". |
| Swahili | The word "kutetea" also refers to the action of protecting or shielding something. |
| Swedish | The word "försvara" comes from the Old Norse word "varð", meaning "to guard", and is also related to the German word "wehren" and the English word "ward". |
| Tagalog (Filipino) | The word "ipagtanggol" is a verb in Tagalog that means "to defend", but it can also refer to the act of sheltering, protecting, or safeguarding something or someone. |
| Tajik | "Difo' kuned" is the Tajik word for "to defend". It is derived from the Persian word "defend", which means "to protect or guard". |
| Tamil | The word "பாதுகாக்க" in Tamil is also used to convey the idea of guarding, preserving, or protecting something of value. |
| Telugu | The word 'రక్షించు' (rakshinchu) is derived from the Sanskrit root 'रक्ष्' (raksh), meaning 'to protect'. |
| Thai | The word "ป้องกัน" (defend) also means to obstruct or prevent something from happening. |
| Turkish | The word "savunmak" also means "to prevent" in Turkish. |
| Ukrainian | The Ukrainian word for "defend" has also meanings of "shield", "protect", and "guard". |
| Urdu | In Urdu, "دفاع" can also mean "support" or "protection". |
| Uzbek | The word "himoya qilmoq" is derived from the Persian word "himāyat" (protection). |
| Vietnamese | Phòng thủ also means "prevention" in Vietnamese, with a similar etymology to "quarantine". |
| Welsh | The word "amddiffyn" in Welsh derives from the Proto-Celtic root *kom-defend-, meaning "to protect" or "to cover". |
| Xhosa | The word "khusela" in Xhosa also means "to be brave". |
| Yiddish | The Yiddish word "באַשיצן" (bashitsn) is derived from the Middle High German word "beschützen" (to protect, defend), which in turn comes from the Old High German word "biscotti" (to cover, protect). |
| Yoruba | Gbeja is a Yoruba term meaning 'support' or 'uphold', derived from the word 'gba' meaning 'take' and 'ja' meaning 'fight' or 'resist'. |
| Zulu | "Vikela" can also mean "be careful" or "be cautious" in Zulu, highlighting the connection between defense and personal safety. |
| English | Defend is derived from the Latin word "defendere", meaning to ward off or protect. |