Def.
Abbreviation with 3 meanings
| Stands for | Defendant |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 3 |
| Categories | Law & Legal, Texting & Internet Slang, Transportation & Travel |
| Also written | DEF |
Def. has three meanings. The most common are Defendant (litigation) and Defense (gaming slang); it can also stand for Diesel exhaust fluid.
Meanings of Def. at a glance
| # | Def. stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Defendant | Law & Legal › Litigation |
| 2 | Defense | Texting & Internet Slang › Gaming Slang |
| 3 | Diesel exhaust fluid | Transportation & Travel › Automotive |
1. Defendant
Law & Legal · Litigation Abbreviations
Bluebook abbreviation for "defendant" in references to court documents, as in "Def.'s Answer ¶ 12" or "Defs.' Mem." for several defendants. It appears constantly in briefs, motions and opinions citing the record.
Example: As Def.'s Answer ¶ 12 admits, the company received the termination notice on June 1.
In criminal cases the defendant is the accused; in civil cases, the party sued. Practitioners also write "Dft." or "Deft." informally. Briefs often define a short name for a corporate defendant, such as "Acme", instead of repeating "Def."
2. Defense (DEF)
Texting & Internet Slang · Gaming Slang Abbreviations
Stat that reduces damage taken from attacks, shown alongside ATK, HP and SPD in many RPGs and gacha games. Tanks and frontline units stack DEF to survive longer.
Example: My tank needs more DEF before we try the next floor.
In Pokémon, Defense protects against physical moves, while Special Defense counters special moves. "DEF" is also a programming keyword in Python for defining functions, and part of "DEFCON" in military terminology, unrelated to games.
3. Diesel exhaust fluid (DEF)
Transportation & Travel · Automotive Abbreviations
Solution of 32.5 percent high-purity urea in deionized water, sprayed into the exhaust of modern diesel vehicles so the SCR catalyst can convert nitrogen oxides into nitrogen and water. It is refilled through a separate blue-capped tank.
Example: If the DEF tank runs dry, the truck will limit speed to 5 mph until you refill it.
Sold as AdBlue in Europe, a trademark of the German automotive industry association VDA. Consumption is typically 2 to 3 percent of diesel use. DEF freezes at about 12 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 11 degrees Celsius), so tanks have heaters. Putting DEF in the fuel tank by mistake causes costly damage.
Related abbreviations
More litigation abbreviations
- COA – Cause of action
- Compl. – Complaint
- CPLR – Civil Practice Law and Rules
- Decl. – Declaration
- Dep. – Deposition
- DJ – Declaratory judgment
- Dkt. – Docket
- EBT – Examination before trial
See all 71 litigation abbreviations →
More gaming slang abbreviations
- CON – Constitution
- CS – Creep score
- CTF – Capture the flag
- DC – Disconnect
- DEX – Dexterity
- DKP – Dragon kill points
- DLC – Downloadable content
- DM – Dungeon master
See all 145 gaming slang abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not legal advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.