deficient
Use Deficient in a sentence
ənt adjective
1.
lacking some element or characteristic; defective: deficient in taste.
2.
insufficient; inadequate: deficient knowledge.
noun
3.
a person who is deficient, especially one who is mentally defective.
Origin:
1575–85; < Latin dēficient- (stem of dēficiēns, present participle of dēficere to fail, run short, lack, weaken), equivalent to dē- de- + fic-, combining form of facere to make, do1 + thematic -i- + -ent- -ent
1575–85; < Latin dēficient- (stem of dēficiēns, present participle of dēficere to fail, run short, lack, weaken), equivalent to dē- de- + fic-, combining form of facere to make, do1 + thematic -i- + -ent- -ent
Related forms
de·fi·cient·ly, adverb
non·de·fi·cient, adjective
non·de·fi·cient·ly, adverb
pre·de·fi·cient, adjective
pre·de·fi·cient·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To deficient
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Deficient
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Collins
World English Dictionary
deficient (dɪˈfɪʃənt) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | lacking some essential; incomplete; defective |
| 2. | inadequate in quantity or supply; insufficient |
| [C16: from Latin dēficiēns lacking, from dēficere to fall short; see | |
| de'ficiently | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
deficient
1580s, from L. deficientem (nom. deficiens), prp. of deficere "to desert, fail," from de- "down, away" + facere "to do, perform" (see factitious).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
deficient de·fi·cient (dĭ-fĭsh'ənt)
adj.
Lacking an essential quality or element.
Inadequate in amount or degree; insufficient.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Being different does not mean one is deficient.
It is difficult of demonstration, excepting where the serous coat is deficient.
Sounds to me like he might be severely lacking in social skills and deficient in picking up on social cues.
If they are iron deficient, they should start treatment with iron supplements.
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