2 syllables: de, fence. Stress on fence.
/dɪˈfɛns/
Say it backDefence (British, Canadian, and Commonwealth spelling for the strategy of protecting against attack) refers to the action of guarding, shielding, or defending, particularly in military, legal, or sports contexts. In broader use, it denotes the defense of a claim or position, or the mechanisms by which something is protected. The term emphasizes the act, system, or stance of defending rather than the attacker.
- • Final /s/ voiced as /z/: Speak the end as a voiceless /s/ in careful speech; keep your teeth close and push air through the tongue tip. - • Vowel quality mismatch: Use /ɛ/ as in 'fence' rather than /eɪ/ or /ɪ/; rehearse with minimal pairs: fence vs sense. - • Stress misplacement: Ensure the strong stress on the second syllable: de-FENCE; avoid de-FENCE in fast speech.
"The country's defence budget was increased to strengthen border security."
"In the courtroom, the defendant presented a compelling defence."
"The goalkeeper's swift defence kept the team in the game."
pronounced /dɪˈfɛn(t)s/ for US, but in most dialects UK/AU use /dɪˈfɛns/. The primary stress is on the second syllable: de-FENCE. Begin with a short, unafforded /d/ release, then /ɪ/ as a quick vowel, then the central-opening /ˈfɛn/ or /ˈfɛns/ depending on dialect, and finish with /t/ or a voiceless alveolar fricative cluster. In careful speech you’ll hear /dɪˈfɛn(t)s/, with a clear final /s/. The mouth shapes: lips relaxed for /d/, then a light /ɪ/ then wide-open front for /f/, raised tongue for /ɛ/ (UK/AU) or /e/ in some US variants, and terminal /s/. For best accuracy, imagine saying “defense” with a crisp sibilant end, and avoid turning it into “defence” with z-like consonant. IPA: US /dɪˈfɛns/; UK/AU /dɪˈfɛns/; note minor vowel height variation across regions.
Common errors include turning the final /s/ into a voiced /z/ in careful speech or blending the vowel with a lax /ɪ/ instead of the tense /ɛ/ before /n/. Another frequent issue is misplacing stress, saying de-FENSE with a reduced second syllable, or mispronouncing the vowel as /i/ in non-rhotic accents. To correct: keep the second syllable stressed, use a clear /ɛ/ or /e/ as in “fence,” and end with a crisp /s/ rather than /z/. Practice with minimal pairs like defend/s ofen and note the mouth position for the /f/ and /n/ sequence.
In most British Commonwealth accents, /dɪˈfɛns/ with a clear /ɛ/ vowel and final unvoiced /s/. US English typically has /dɪˈfɛn(t)s/ with a similar unvoiced /s/ but some American speakers reduce to /dəˈfens/ in rapid speech. Australian tends to align with UK: /dɪˈfeɪns/ or /dɪˈfɛns/ depending on region and formality; general Australian is close to /ˈdefəns/ in rapid connected speech, but careful speech remains /dɪˈfɛn(t)s/. The rhoticity is not central to this word in any of these dialects; the core is the /f/ + /ɛ/ vowel sequence and the final /ns/ cluster. IPA references: US /dɪˈfɛn(t)s/, UK/AU /dɪˈfɛn(t)s/.
Because it sits near a vowel change region: the /ɛ/ vs /e/ split before the /n/ + /s/ cluster, plus maintaining a crisp final /s/ after a voiceless /t/ or /n/. Non-native speakers often substitute the vowel with /ɪ/ or /eɪ/ and may voice the final /s/ as /z/, softening the ending. The /f/ is straightforward, but the following vowel requires precise mouth openness and tongue height. In connected speech, the /t/ may be lightly released or even omitted, producing /dɪˈfɛns/ when careful; in rapid speech you might hear /dɪˈfɛn s/ with a reduced s. Focus on holding the vowel steady and ending with a clear sibilant.
Defence features a two-syllable word with primary stress on the second syllable: de-FENCE. The letter 'e' at the end does not create a separate audible syllable; it participates in the final /s/ sound, not a separate vowel. There is no silent letter here—each letter participates in the /d/ /ɪ/ /f/ /ɛ/ /n/ /s/ sequence. The most critical pronunciation detail is the stressed second syllable and delivering a crisp end consonant /s/ without voicing. IPA: US/UK/AU /dɪˈfɛns/.
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Defence comes from Old French defensa (also defender, defense) which itself derives from Latin defens- (defendere: to ward off, guard). The Latin verb defendere blends de- (from, away) with -fendere (to strike, to fend). In Middle English, defence appeared as defence with -fe- retained from Latin, later aligning with French forms. The sense of guarding or protecting emerged in military and legal vernacular during the medieval period, as armored defense and fortress precautions became critical in warfare and statecraft. By the 16th–17th centuries, the word widened to include legal pleadings that shield a person or proposition, and in modern times to cover cyber and sports contexts as well. Regional spelling divergence solidified in the 19th and 20th centuries: defence (British/Commonwealth) vs defense (American). First known uses appear in medieval French and English legal texts, with attestations in the 14th century referring to the act of defending or a defense structure. The term traveled with Norman influence and was reinforced through legal treatises, military chronicles, and later, philosophical texts addressing the concept of justification and protection. Today, defence spans a spectrum from military strategy to personal and digital security, retaining its core sense of protection and justification against an adversary.
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