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insufficient - 5 dictionary results

in⋅suf⋅fi⋅cient

  [in-suh-fish-uhnt]
Use insufficient in a Sentence
–adjective
1. not sufficient; lacking in what is necessary or required: an insufficient answer.
2. deficient in force, quality, or amount; inadequate: insufficient protection.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME < LL insufficient- (s. of insufficiēns). See in- 3 , sufficient

Related forms:
in⋅suf⋅fi⋅cient⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. inadequate, scanty, deficient.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To insufficient
in·suf·fi·cient   (ĭn'sə-fĭsh'ənt)   
adj.  Not sufficient; inadequate.
in'suf·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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Insufficient

In`suf*fi"cient\, a. [L. insufficiens, -entis. See In- not, and Sufficient.]

1. Not sufficient; not enough; inadequate to any need, use, or purpose; as, the provisions are insufficient in quantity, and defective in quality. "Insufficient for His praise." --Cowper.

2. Wanting in strength, power, ability, capacity, or skill; incompetent; incapable; unfit; as, a person insufficient to discharge the duties of an office.

Syn: Inadequate; scanty; incommensurate; unequal; unfit; incompetent; incapable; inefficient.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : insufficient
Spanish: insuficiente,
German: unzureichend,
Japanese: 不十分な
More Translations »

insufficient 
c.1386, from O.Fr. insufficient, from L. insufficientem (nom. insufficiens), from in- "not" + sufficientem (see sufficient). Originally of persons, "inadequate, unable;" of things, from 1494.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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insufficient in·suf·fi·cient (ĭn'sə-fĭsh'ənt)
adj.

  1. Not sufficient.
  2. Incapable of proper functioning.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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