A person who gives up easily or believes failure is inevitable; an attitude of accepting defeat before trying.
From 'defeat' (from Old French 'defait,' meaning conquered) plus '-ist' (one who practices or believes). The concept became prominent during World War II to describe negative attitudes.
Governments historically banned defeatist talk during wars because negativity was considered contagious—this word shows how language itself can be a battleground for controlling morale.
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