| deficiency disease | |
| —n | |
| 1. | med Compare avitaminosis any condition, such as pellagra, beriberi, or scurvy, produced by a lack of vitamins or other essential substances |
| 2. | botany any disease caused by lack of essential minerals |
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
deficiency disease n.
A disease that is caused by a dietary deficiency of specific nutrients, especially a vitamin or mineral, possibly stemming from insufficient intake, digestion, absorption, or utilization of a nutrient. Also called insufficiency disease.