Having no protection, weapons, or means to resist or defend against harm or attack.
From 'defense' (Latin 'defendere' meaning 'to ward off') plus the suffix '-less' meaning 'without.' The word literally means 'without defense.'
Defenselessness is a powerful emotional trigger in humans—many laws and moral codes exist specifically to protect those who are defenseless, from children to endangered animals. This word appears frequently in literature and law because vulnerability creates empathy.
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