defensiveness
noun
- the quality of being defensive
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /dɪˈfɛnsɪvnəs/
noun
Etymology: Etymology tree English defensive Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English defensiveness From defensive + -ness.
- The state or quality of being defensive.
“The gay vs. straight confrontation has been dealt with before in movies and plays but never with the gay character in control and never so free of defensiveness or homosexual guilt.”