Definition

The act of causing something to lose its original form or appearance, often resulting in damage or disfigurement.

Example

The artist's work was criticized for its defeature, which altered the original beauty of the sculpture.

Conversation

Did you see how that statue was damaged?

Yeah, it really is a shame to witness such a defeature.

I can't believe someone would do that on purpose.

It's frustrating; art should be preserved, not ruined.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Defeature is formed from "de-" (meaning down or away) and "feature" (from Latin "facere", meaning to make or do). The word describes the act of removing or taking away features from something.

Memory Tip

Think of 'taking away' ('de-') the 'characteristics' ('feature') of something — that's what defeature means.

Visually Confused Words