different between defensive vs hostile

English

Etymology

From Middle French défensif

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /d??f?ns?v/

Adjective

defensive (comparative more defensive, superlative most defensive)

1. Intended for defence; protective.

2. Intended to deter attack.

3. Performed so as to minimise risk.

4. Displaying an inordinate sensitivity to criticism or intrusion; oversensitive; thin-skinned.
5. (cricket) Of a bowling or fielding tactic designed to prevent the other side from scoring runs; of a batting tactic designed to prevent being out.
6. (chiefly sports) Pertaining to defense, as opposed to attack.
7. In a state or posture of defense.

Antonyms

• offensive

Translations

Noun

defensive (plural defensives)

1. A means, attitude or position of defense.

Translations

Related terms

• on the defensive

German

Adjective

defensive

1. inflection of defensiv:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Latin

Adjective

d?f?ns?ve

1. vocative masculine singular of d?f?ns?vus

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French hostile, from Latin host?lis, from hostis (“enemy”). Displaced Old English f?ondl??.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?h?sta?l/, /?h?st?l/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?h?st?l/, /?h?sta?l/
• Homophone: hostel (one pronunciation)
• Rhymes: -?st?l

Adjective

hostile (comparative more hostile, superlative most hostile)

1. Not friendly, appropriate to an enemy; showing the disposition of an enemy; showing ill will and malevolence, or a desire to thwart and injure

   Synonyms: inimical, unfriendly

   a hostile force

   hostile intentions

   a hostile country

   hostile to a sudden change

2. Aggressive, antagonistic.
3. Unwilling
4. Of a hostile takeover.

   Microsoft may go hostile in its bid for Yahoo as soon as Friday, according to a published report.

Synonyms

• antagonistic
• hateful
• See also Thesaurus:hostile

Antonyms

• friendly

Related terms

• hostility
• hostilely
• host
• See also Thesaurus:combative

Translations

Noun

hostile (plural hostiles)

1. (chiefly in the plural) An enemy.

Translations

Anagrams

• Elohist, eoliths, holiest, sholtie

French

Etymology

From Middle French hostile, hostif (this form with a change of suffix), borrowed from Latin hostilis.

Pronunciation

• ^{(mute h)} IPA^(key): /?s.til/

Adjective

hostile (plural hostiles)

1. hostile
2. unfriendly

Synonyms

• ennemi

Related terms

• hostilité
• ost

Further reading

• “hostile” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Latin

Adjective

host?le

1. nominative neuter singular of host?lis
2. accusative neuter singular of host?lis
3. vocative neuter singular of host?lis

References

• hostile in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)