Main Entry:

¹de·feat

Pronunciation:

\di-ˈfēt, dē-\

Function:

transitive verb

Etymology:

Middle English deffeten, from Anglo-French defait, past participle of defaire, desfaire to destroy, from Medieval Latin disfacere, from Latin dis- + facere to do — more at do

Date:

14th century

1obsolete : destroy2 a: nullify <defeat an estate> b: frustrate 2a(1) <defeat a hope>3: to win victory over : beat <defeat the opposing team>

synonyms see conquer

— de·feat·able \-ˈfē-tə-bəl\ adjective