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defense mechanism Definition

defense mechanism

noun

  1. any self-protective physiological system or reaction of an organism
  2. Psychiatry any thought process, as repression, introjection, or sublimation, unconsciously used by an individual as a defense against feelings of guilt, anxiety, shame, etc.

defense mechanism Usage Examples

Noun used with modifier

plant: What makes a bacterium an endophyte and why are plant defense mechanisms not activated?