Dictionary

self-defense en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Etymology

From self- + defense. First used by Hobbes in the 1650s.

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) 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 will help them escape an attacker. 2016 February 18, Kyung Lah, “Fearing attacks, Muslim women learn self-defense”, in CNN, archived from the original on 12 Apr 2021:
2. (uncountable, usually) 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. 2013 July 10, Patrik Jonsson, “George Zimmerman speaks, but won’t testify in his defense”, in The Christian Science Monitor, archived from the original on 23 Jan 2025:

Forms

Deriveds

self-defensive

Relateds

castle doctrine · stand-your-ground law

Translations (90)

ar دِفَاع عَنِ النَّفْسِ (means of defending oneself from attack) · ms pertahanan kendiri (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · sl samoobramba (means of defending oneself from attack) · id pembelaan terpaksa (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · az özünüqoruma (means of defending oneself from attack) · pl samoobrona (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · ru самооборо́на (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · az zəruri müdafiə (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · cmn 正當防衛 /正当防卫 (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · ca legítima defensa (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · ro autoapărare (means of defending oneself from attack) · tr meşru müdafaa (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · ta தற்காப்பு (means of defending oneself from attack) · sh samoòbrana (means of defending oneself from attack) · id pembelaan diri (means of defending oneself from attack) · tr nefsi müdafaa (means of defending oneself from attack) · et enesekaitse (means of defending oneself from attack) · ja 自己防衛 (means of defending oneself from attack) · fr autodéfense (means of defending oneself from attack) · es legítima defensa (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · ko 정당방위 (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · ru самозащи́та (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · ta தற்காப்பு (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · de Notwehr (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · sh samoòdbrana (means of defending oneself from attack) · he הִתְגּוֹנְנוּת (means of defending oneself from attack) · pl samoobrona (means of defending oneself from attack) · sh самоо̀дбрана (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · pt defesa pessoal (means of defending oneself from attack) · he הֲגָנָה עַצְמִית (means of defending oneself from attack) · be самаабаро́на (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · fo neyðverja (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · es autodefensa (means of defending oneself from attack) · id pembelaan darurat (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · vi sự tự vệ (means of defending oneself from attack) · sh самоо̀дбрана (means of defending oneself from attack) · az özünümüdafiə (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · sh samoòbrana (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · uk самооборо́на (means of defending oneself from attack) · be самаабаро́на (means of defending oneself from attack) · sh самоо̀брана (means of defending oneself from attack) · hu önvédelem (means of defending oneself from attack) · ka თავდაცვა (means of defending oneself from attack) · pt autodefesa (means of defending oneself from attack) · hy ինքնապաշտպանություն (means of defending oneself from attack) · cs sebeobrana (means of defending oneself from attack) · bg самоотбра́на (means of defending oneself from attack) · ms silat (means of defending oneself from attack) · fo sjálvverja (means of defending oneself from attack) · ru самооборо́на (means of defending oneself from attack) · pt autodefesa (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · sv nödvärn (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · nb selvforsvar (means of defending oneself from attack) · sh самоо̀брана (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · de Selbstverteidigung (means of defending oneself from attack) · fa-ira دِفاعِ شَخْصی (means of defending oneself from attack) · uk самоза́хист (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · hu (jogos) önvédelem (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · mi parahau whaiaro (means of defending oneself from attack) · ja 正当防衛 (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · pt legítima defesa (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · sk sebaobrana (means of defending oneself from attack) · fi itsepuolustus (means of defending oneself from attack) · fr légitime défense (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · az özünümüdafiə (means of defending oneself from attack) · da selvforsvar (means of defending oneself from attack) · sv självförsvar (means of defending oneself from attack) · es defensa personal (means of defending oneself from attack) · el αυτοάμυνα (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · ca autodefensa (means of defending oneself from attack) · sk sebaobrana (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · el αυτοάμυνα (means of defending oneself from attack) · ka თავდაცვა (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · nl zelfverdediging (means of defending oneself from attack) · bg самоотбра́на (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · mk самоодбрана (means of defending oneself from attack) · hi आत्मरक्षा (means of defending oneself from attack) · ro legitimă apărare (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · uk самооборо́на (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · mk самоодбрана (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · es defensa propia (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · sh samoòdbrana (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · ko 자기방어 (means of defending oneself from attack) · fi hätävarjelu (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · sq vetëmbrojtje (means of defending oneself from attack) · cmn 護身 /护身 (means of defending oneself from attack) · ca defensa personal (means of defending oneself from attack) · cmn 自衛 /自卫 (means of defending oneself from attack) · cs sebeobrana (law: the right to protect oneself against violence by using reasonable force) · it autodifesa (means of defending oneself from attack)