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deficient

 - 6 dictionary results

de⋅fi⋅cient

  [di-fish-uhnt]
Use deficient in a Sentence
–adjective
1. lacking some element or characteristic; defective: deficient in taste.
2. insufficient; inadequate: deficient knowledge.
–noun
3. a person who is deficient, esp. one who is mentally defective.
Origin:
1575–85; < L dēficient- (s. of dēficiēns, prp. of dēficere to fail, run short, lack, weaken), equiv. to dē- de- + fic-, comb. form of facere to make, do 1 + thematic -i- + -ent- -ent

Related forms:
de⋅fi⋅cient⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To deficient
de·fi·cient   (dĭ-fĭsh'ənt)   
adj.  

  1. Lacking an essential quality or element: deficient in common sense.

  2. Inadequate in amount or degree; insufficient: a deficient education.


[Latin dēficiēns, dēficient-, present participle of dēficere, to fail, be wanting; see defect.]
de·fi'cient n., de·fi'cient·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

deficient 
1581, from L. deficientem (nom. deficiens), prp. of deficere "to desert, fail," from de- "down, away" + facere "to do, perform" (see factitious).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1de·fi·cient
Pronunciation: di-'fish-&nt
Function: adjective
1 : lacking in some necessary quality orelement deficient diet>
2 : not up to a normal standard or complement <deficient strength>
3 : having, relating to, orcharacterized by a genetic deletion

Main Entry: 2deficient
Function: noun
: one that is deficient deficient>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

deficient de·fi·cient (dĭ-fĭsh'ənt)
adj.

  1. Lacking an essential quality or element.

  2. 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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