defender
/defenˈdeɾ/ · A2 · verb
to defend, to protect, to hold down
🛡️ defender = English defend + Spanish -er verb ending
From Latin defendere: de- (away) + fendere (to strike), so to strike away an attack. Same root as English defend, defence and fend off. Stress falls on the last syllable: de-fen-DER.