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de·file¹

(dĭ-fīl)

tr.v. de·filed, de·fil·ing, de·files

1. To make filthy or dirty; pollute: defile a river with sewage.

2. To debase the pureness or excellence of; corrupt: a country landscape that was defiled by urban sprawl.

3. To profane or sully (a reputation, for example).

4. To make unclean or unfit for ceremonial use; desecrate: defile a temple.

5. To have sexual intercourse with (a woman who is a virgin).

[Middle English defilen, alteration (influenced by filen, to befoul, from Old English fȳlan; see p- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) of defoulen, to trample on, abuse, pollute, from Old French defouler, to trample, full cloth : de-, de- + fouler, to trample, beat down; see FULL².]

de·filement n.

de·filer n.

de·file²

(dĭ-fīl)

intr.v. de·filed, de·fil·ing, de·files

To move in single file or in files or columns: The soldiers defiled from the fort, arms raised in surrender.

1. A narrow gorge or pass that restricts lateral movement, as of troops.

2. A march in a line.

[French défiler : dé-, away, off (from Old French de-; see DE-) + file, line, file (from Old French filer, to spin thread, march in line; see FILE¹). N., from French défilé, from past participle of défiler.]

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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