A French word for a person who believes that defeat or failure is inevitable and acts accordingly; someone with a defeatist attitude.
From French 'défaitisme' plus '-te' (person who practices something). This term was used throughout French politics and military contexts, particularly to describe those opposed to continued resistance during wartime.
French generals during World War I used 'défaitiste' as an insult against politicians and officers they thought were too pessimistic—it became a weapon in the power struggles that shaped military strategy and national morale.
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