deficient

[dih-fish-uh nt] /dɪˈfɪʃ 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
Related forms
deficiently, adverb
nondeficient, adjective
nondeficiently, adverb
predeficient, adjective
predeficiently, adverb
undeficient, adjective
undeficiently, adverb
Examples from the web for deficient
  • The two deficient enzymes mentioned in the article are products of genes being read and proteins being synthesized.
  • Being different does not mean one is deficient.
  • Others blame deficient demand for the country's stubbornly high unemployment.
  • One of every four bridges nationwide is either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
  • It's true early jets were deficient in firepower.
  • When you act assertive you're deemed deficient in social skills, according to an earlier paper by the same researchers.
  • More than a quarter of the nation's bridges are obsolete or deficient.
  • My knowledge of goat noises and exclamations is clearly deficient.
  • Although the candidate's record was appallingly deficient, the chairman wrote a glowing letter of support.
  • Sounds to me like he might be severely lacking in social skills and deficient in picking up on social cues.
British Dictionary definitions for deficient

deficient

/dɪˈfɪʃənt/
adjective
1.
lacking some essential; incomplete; defective
2.
inadequate in quantity or supply; insufficient
Derived Forms
deficiently, adverb
Word Origin
C16: from Latin dēficiēns lacking, from dēficere to fall short; see defect
Word Origin and History for deficient
adj.

1580s, from Latin deficientem (nominative deficiens), present participle of deficere "to desert, revolt, fail," from de- "down, away" (see de-) + facere "to do, perform" (see factitious).

deficient in Medicine

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

  1. Lacking an essential quality or element.

  2. Inadequate in amount or degree; insufficient.