Pronunciation: [dɪfˈiːtɪst] (IPA) 
The word "defeatist" refers to someone who is inclined to give up easily or accept defeat without a fight. It is spelled with the prefix "de-" meaning "down" or "not" and the root word "feat" meaning "act or achievement". The -ist suffix indicates a person who practices a certain behavior or belief. The phonetic transcription of "defeatist" is dɪˈfiːtɪst, where the stress is on the second syllable.
Defeatist is an adjective that refers to an individual or mindset characterized by a pessimistic belief in inevitable failure or an acceptance of defeat without even attempting to challenge or oppose it. The term originated from the noun "defeat," which signifies a situation of being overcome or vanquished.
A defeatist attitude often manifests as resignation or a lack of motivation to put forth effort or strive for success due to a prevailing sense that failure is fated. It frequently involves a constant anticipation of setbacks and an inability to perceive possible positive outcomes. Individuals with a defeatist mentality may tend to undermine their own abilities, minimize their chances of success, and readily succumb to obstacles or adversity, believing that their endeavors will inevitably be fruitless.
The defeatist outlook can have detrimental effects on both personal and collective endeavors. It can hinder progress and prevent individuals from realizing their full potential by discouraging their ambitions and ambitions of others. A defeatist mindset can also negatively influence teamwork, making it difficult for a group to rally or work cohesively towards a common goal when a defeatist member expects failure from the outset.
Addressing defeatism often involves cultivating a positive and resilient mindset, encouraging a proactive stance towards challenges, and promoting the belief that success is attainable through effort and determination. Recognizing defeatist tendencies can help individuals overcome self-imposed limitations and embrace a more optimistic approach to overcoming obstacles and achieving their goals.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "defeatist" is derived from the noun "defeat" and the suffix "-ist".
The noun "defeat" can be traced back to the late 15th century, coming from the Old French word "defet" meaning "obliteration" or "destruction". It further derived from the Latin "defectus", which means "failure" or "disorder".
The suffix "-ist" originates from the French "-iste" and is ultimately derived from the Latin "-ista". It is used to form nouns and adjectives to denote a person who adheres to a specific belief or ideology.
Therefore, the word "defeatist" refers to someone who possesses a defeatist mentality, characterized by a pessimistic attitude or lack of confidence in achieving success or overcoming obstacles.
