Defile Definition

Origin of Defile

• From Middle English defilen (“to make dirty”), alteration (due to Middle English defoulen, defoilen (“to trample, abuse”)) of Middle English befilen (“to defile, make foul”), from Old English befȳlan (“to befoul, defile”), from Proto-Germanic *bi- + *fūlijaną (“to defile, make filthy”). Cognate with Dutch bevuilen (“to defile, soil”). More at be-, file, foul.

  From Wiktionary

• Middle English defilen alteration (influenced by filen to befoul) (from Old English fȳlan pū̆- in 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 full²

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

• French défiler dé- away, off (from Old French de- de–) file line, file (from Old French filer to spin thread, march in line file¹) N., from French défilé from past participle of défiler

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

• Earlier defilee, from French défilé, from défiler (“to march past”), from file (“file”).

  From Wiktionary