English → Latin
“defence” in Latin
tūtēlatutelage, guardianship; dependent, client; watching, keeping, charge, carepraesidiumdefence, protection, guardianship; help, aid, assistance; guard, garrison, convoy, escortdēfēnsiōdefence, protectiontūtāmentumA means of protection; protection, defence or defense.patrōciniumprotection, defence; patronageexcūsātiōexcusepūrgātiōpurification, cleansing, purgingrespōnsiōanswer, reply, response; refutationāctiōaction; a doing or performing, behavior; public function, civil act; suit, process, actionprōtegōto cover; to protect, defend
The English word defence itself goes back to Latin fendō, through dēfēnsa.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
defence
Protection, tutela (defence in as far as it has anything under careful inspection, and averts from it whatever may be hurtful, for which meaning protectio is late Latin): praesidium (defence, in as far as through it one is sheltered, and can fly to it for refuge when in need of help): defensio (the defence or act by which one wards off damage or danger whencesoever proceeding): tutamentum (Liv.; means of defence): patrocinium (the defence or fatherly protection, which a patron affords to his client, or protege): to undertake anybody’s defence, aliquem in fidem recipere (as a superior, general, etc.): alicujus patrocinium suscipere (as a patron or advocate): to look to or fly to anybody for defence, se in fidem alicujus committere; se in fidem et tutelam alicujus conferre; se alicui in clientelam et fidem dare; alicujus fidem sequl (Vid: Herz., Caes., B.G., 4): that the defence of the city should be committed to the old men, seniores ad urbis custodiam ut praesto essent (Liv.).
Vindication, excusatio (apology): purgatio (justification): responsio: causae dictio, or actio (defence before a court by a speech, etc.): to call upon anybody for his defence, rationem aliquem reddere jubere (call him to account): to undertake the defence of a cause, patrocinium causae suscipere: to decline the defence, patrocinium alicujus rei repudiare: to conduct one’s own defence, ipsum pro se dicere: to write one’s defence, or draw up a defence in writing, defensionem suae causae scribere.
Resistance, defensio; means of defence, tutamen (general term); arma (arms); *quae ad aliquem tuendum or ad locum tuendum parantur: to prepare for defence, ad resistendum or ad vim propulsandam se parare (of a person); muros instruere (of a besieged general or force putting the walls in a state of defence; Vid: Herz., ad B.G., 7, 18): to put a fortress in a state of defence, castellum munire ac rebus necessariis instruere: to make a stout defence, fortiter repugnare or resistere: without any means of defence [Vid: DEFENCELESS].
Defensive works; fortification, operis munitio; opus (or opera) munitionesque; also munitiones only, or munimenta, plur.; opera, um, neuter: propugnaculum (figuratively): the art of defence or fortification, *ars muniendi; *architectura militaris: the natural means of defence (of a city), nativa praesidia (urbis, Cic.).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for defence?
- The usual Latin words for “defence” are tūtēla, praesidium, dēfēnsiō; also tūtāmentum, patrōcinium, excūsātiō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.