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defender

n.
US //dɪˈfɛndɝ// UK //dɪfˈɛndɐ// de·fend·er
  1. 1 sports player (n.)
    A2 Elementary Sport

    a player in a game like football whose main job is to stop the other team from scoring goals.

    a player in a team sport whose primary tactical role is to prevent the opposing side from scoring.

    Example

    The defender kicked the ball away just before the striker could take a shot.

    Example

    The team's defensive strategy relied on the central defender's ability to anticipate the opponent's passes and intercept them before they reached the penalty area.
  2. 2 protector (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    someone who protects a person, a place, or an idea from being attacked or hurt.

    one who protects or guards a person, entity, or abstract principle against physical attack or verbal criticism.

    Example

    She has always been a strong defender of animal rights in her community.

    Example

    Throughout his political career, he remained a staunch defender of free speech, even when the opinions being expressed were deeply unpopular.
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  1. 3 legal representative (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal Law

    a lawyer who represents a person accused of a crime in court.

    a legal advocate who represents a defendant in criminal or civil proceedings, most commonly seen in the term 'public defender'.

    Example

    The public defender met with his client to prepare for the trial next week.

    Example

    The court appointed a public defender to the case after the accused demonstrated that they could not afford private legal representation.
Origin

From Middle English defender, deffender, defendere, defendour, defendoure, partly from Anglo-Norman defendour, from Old French defendëor; partly from Middle English defenden + -ere, equivalent to defend + -er.

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