defile

UK: /dɪˈfaɪl/ US: /dɪˈfaɪl/ ,(di fīl′; also for 2 dē′fīl)

Inflections of 'defile' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

defiles

v 3rd person singular

defiling

v pres p

defiled

v past

defiled

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

de•file¹ /dɪˈfaɪl/   v. [ ~ + obj], -filed, -fil•ing. 

1. to make foul, dirty, or unclean.
2. to desecrate:
   The infidels had defiled the shrine.
3. to dishonor or spoil:
   Insults alone will not defile his honor.

de•file•ment, n. [uncountable]
de•fil•er, n. [countable]

de•file² /dɪˈfaɪl, ˈdifaɪl/   n. [countable]

1. Geography a narrow passage, esp. between mountains.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

de•file¹  (di fīl′), v.t., -filed, -fil•ing. 

1. to make foul, dirty, or unclean;
   pollute;
   taint;
   debase.
2. to violate the chastity of.
3. to make impure for ceremonial use;
   desecrate.
4. to sully, as a person's reputation.

• Anglo-French, Old French defouler to trample on, violate; compare Old English befȳlan to befoul
• Middle English defilen, defelen, alteration of defoilen (by association with filen to file³) 1275–1325

de•fil′a•ble, adj. 
de•file′ment, n. 
de•fil′er, n. 
de•fil′ing•ly, adv. 

de•file²  (di fīl′, dē′fīl), n., v., -filed, -fil•ing. 
n. 

1. any narrow passage, esp. between mountains.

v.i. 

2. to march in a line or by files.

• French défilé, noun, nominal use of past participle of défiler to file off; see defilade
• 1675–85

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

defile / dɪˈfaɪl/ verb (transitive)

1. to make foul or dirty; pollute
2. to tarnish or sully the brightness of; taint; corrupt
3. to damage or sully (someone's good name, reputation, etc)
4. to make unfit for ceremonial use; desecrate
5. to violate the chastity of

Etymology: 14th Century: from earlier defoilen (influenced by filen to file³), from Old French defouler to trample underfoot, abuse, from de- + fouler to tread upon; see full²

deˈfilement noun

defile / ˈdiːfaɪl dɪˈfaɪl/ noun

1. a narrow pass or gorge, esp one between two mountains
2. a single file of soldiers, etc

verb

1. to march or cause to march in single file

Etymology: 17th Century: from French défilé, from défiler to file off, from filer to march in a column, from Old French: to spin, from fil thread, from Latin fīlum