misdefense

M3I1S1D2E1F4E1N1S1E1

noun

A faulty defense that allows one's opponent to take advantage

OriginEnglish defense ← Middle English mys- ← Old English mis- →
Scrabble 16
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Meanings

nounmisdefense (uncountable)
  1. uncountableA faulty defense that allows one's opponent to take advantage

    South now had seven tricks (two spades, three hearts and two clubs), and a later misdefense allowed an overtrick.

    2009 January 15, Phillip Alder, “Scrutinizing the Dummy to Develop the Defense”, Bridge, in New York Times

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*mey-?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*meyth₂-
  3. Proto-Germanic*missaz
  4. Proto-Germanic*missa-
  5. Proto-West Germanic*missa-
  6. Old Englishmis-
  7. Middle Englishmys-
  8. Englishmis-
  9. Englishdefense
  10. Englishmisdefense

From mis- + defense.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

misdefense. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misdefense

MLA

“misdefense.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misdefense. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “misdefense,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/misdefense.

Source: misdefense on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.