defendeu

Defendeu is the third‑person singular, simple past, indicative form of the Portuguese verb defender, meaning “to defend.” The verb is a regular -er verb, derived from the Latin defendere, itself a compound of de-, expressing a sense of “away from,” and fendere, meaning “to strike” or “to kill.” In classical Latin the verb was used figuratively to mean “to protect” and was adopted into Vulgar Latin, eventually becoming the modern Portuguese daí. In modern use, defensor or defender may refer to anyone who protects a person, idea, or institution, ranging from a lawyer or politician to a defender in a sports context such as a football player who plays in a defensive position.

Typical contextual uses include: “Ele defendeu a tese de sua tese de doutorado no auditório da universidade,” meaning “He defended his doctoral thesis in the university auditorium,” or “O time defendeu o título com sucesso contra os rivais.” The verb may also appear in idiomatic expressions such as “defender a pátria” (to defend one's country) or “defender a honra” (to defend one's honor). Although defendeu is rarely used as a noun, it can appear in compound words in Portuguese legal or literary contexts.

Related forms include defender (infinitive), defenderá (future tense), defendendo (gerund), and defenderam (plural past). The concept of defense in Portuguese culture is linked with legal, military, and sporting traditions, reflecting the broad application of the verb across various domains.