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English word defeat comes from Old French (842-ca. 1400) des- (De-; dis-.), Old French (842-ca. 1400) faire (To do.)
des- (Old French)
De-; dis-.
faire (Old French)
To do.
desfaire (Old French)
To defeat. To undo.
desfait (Old French)
defeat (English)
(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.