Forefended is a verb, meaning to prevent or hinder. It is pronounced as /fɔːˈfɛndɪd/. The first syllable "fore" is pronounced as "for" with a longer "o" sound, while the second syllable "fen" is pronounced as "fen" with a shorter "e" sound. The "ded" in the end is pronounced with a soft "d" sound. The word "forefended" may not be commonly used, but it is a correct and valid word in the English language.
The word "forefended" is a derivative of the verb "forefend".
The term "forefend" has its roots in Old English, where it originally appeared as "forefǣndan". In Old English, "fore-" means "before" or "in front of", and "fǣndan" means "to defend" or "to keep off".
Over time, "forefǣndan" evolved into Middle English as "forefeinen" or "forefenden", still retaining the meaning of "to defend" or "to protect from harm". Eventually, the spelling shifted to "forefend", which is the form commonly used today.
"Forefended" is the past participle form of "forefend", indicating that an action of defense or prevention has already taken place.