English word defeat comes from Old French (842-ca. 1400) des- (De-; dis-.), Old French (842-ca. 1400) faire (To do.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| des- | Old French (842-ca. 1400) (fro) | De-; dis-. |
| faire | Old French (842-ca. 1400) (fro) | To do. |
| desfaire | Old French (842-ca. 1400) (fro) | To defeat. To undo. |
| desfait | Old French (842-ca. 1400) (fro) | |
| defeat | English (en) | (transitive) To nullify. (transitive) To overcome in battle or contest.. (transitive) To reduce, to nothing, the strength of. The act of defeating or being defeated. |