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

1 obsolete : destroy
2 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