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de·fang

(dē-făng)

tr.v. de·fanged, de·fang·ing, de·fangs

1. To remove the fangs of (a snake, for example).

2. To undermine the strength or power of; make ineffectual: an attempt to defang the opposition.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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