self-defense
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self-defense
Where it comes from
From self- + defense. First used by Hobbes in the 1650s.
noun self-defenses · self defense · self-defence · self defence
- The means of defending oneself from physical attack. Nearly all the women are wearing a hijab, one of the reasons they’re in this self-defense class in Antioch, Tennessee, a community nestled next to Nashville. For three hours, these Muslim women learn Krav Maga and Brazilian jiu-jitsu defense moves, including kicks, punches and elbow strikes that wil
- The right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force, which can be used as justification in several charges including murder, assault, and battery. The case inspired widespread rallies and “Million Hoodie Marches” in early 2012, after Sanford, Fla., police refused to charge Zimmerman with a crime, saying they couldn’t counter his self-defense claim. A special state prosecutor indicted him 44 days later. The trial began June 10.
Translations
Every language
noun means of defending oneself from attack
| Español | autodefensa, defensa personal |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 자기방어 jagibang'eo |
| 日本語 | 自己防衛 jiko bōei |
| 中文 | 自衛 /自卫 zìwèi, 護身 /护身 hùshēn |
| हिन्दी | आत्मरक्षा ātmarakṣā |
| Português | autodefesa, defesa pessoal |
| Français | autodéfense |
| Deutsch | Selbstverteidigung |
| Italiano | autodifesa |
| Ελληνικά | αυτοάμυνα aftoámyna |
| Română | autoapărare |
| Русский | самооборо́на samooboróna |
| Tiếng Việt | sự tự vệ |
| العربية | دِفَاع عَنِ النَّفْسِ difāʕ ʕani n-nafsi |
| עברית | הִתְגּוֹנְנוּת hitgonenut, הֲגָנָה עַצְמִית haganá astmít |
noun law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force
| Español | defensa propia, legítima defensa |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 정당방위 jeongdangbang'wi |
| 日本語 | 正当防衛 seitō bōei |
| 中文 | 正當防衛 /正当防卫 zhèngdàng fángwèi |
| Português | autodefesa, legítima defesa |
| Français | légitime défense |
| Deutsch | Notwehr |
| Ελληνικά | αυτοάμυνα aftoámyna |
| Română | legitimă apărare |
| Русский | самооборо́на samooboróna, самозащи́та samozaščíta |
Talk about this word "self-defense." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/self-defense. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. self-defense. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/self-defense "self-defense." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/self-defense.Cite this
@misc{self_defense_2026,
title = {self-defense},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/self-defense},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
