Meanings
comparative more deficient · superlative most deficient
- Insufficient or inadequate in amount.
Apothecia lecanoroid; multilocular; each cell containing a single theke; paraphyses deficient.
1882, Edward Tuckerman, Henry Willey, A Synopsis of the North American Lichens (part 1) - mathematicsOf a number n, Having the sum of divisors σ(n) < 2n, or, equivalently, the sum of proper divisors (or aliquot sum) s(n) < n.
plural deficients
- A person who is deficient.
This was justified by the rationale that mental deficients, by definition, are not able to succeed in society.
2004, Steven Noll, James Trent, Mental Retardation in America: A Historical Reader, page 316
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveLacking something essential; often construed with in.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectiveinadequate in amount or degree
adjectiveof a quantity not able to fulfill a need or requirement
adjectivefalling short of some prescribed norm
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latindeficiens
- Englishdeficient
From Latin deficiens, present participle of deficere (“to lack, fail, be wanting”); see defect.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek λείπομαι
- λείπομαι (leípomai)lacking something essential
Bulgarian несъвършен, с недостатъци
- несъвършен (nesăvăršen)lacking something essential
- с недостатъци (s nedostatăci)lacking something essential
- недостатъчен (nedostatăčen)insufficient or inadequate in amount
- недостигащ (nedostigašt)insufficient or inadequate in amount
Catalan deficient, deficient
- deficientlacking something essential
- deficientinsufficient or inadequate in amount
Danish mangelfuld
- mangelfuldinsufficient or inadequate in amount
Dutch gebrekkig, tekortschietend
- gebrekkiginsufficient or inadequate in amount
- tekortschietendinsufficient or inadequate in amount
Finnish puutteellinen, riittämätön
- puutteellinenlacking something essential
- riittämätöninsufficient or inadequate in amount
German mangelhaft, defizient
- mangelhaftlacking something essential
- defizientinsufficient or inadequate in amount
Indonesian defisien, defisien
- defisienlacking something essential
- defisieninsufficient or inadequate in amount
Irish díothach, uireasach
- díothachlacking something essential
- uireasachlacking something essential
- easpachlacking something essential
Italian deficiente
- deficientelacking something essential
Māori pahara, pūhungahunga
- paharainsufficient or inadequate in amount
- pūhungahungainsufficient or inadequate in amount
- takarepainsufficient or inadequate in amount
- hukainsufficient or inadequate in amount
Portuguese deficiente
- deficientelacking something essential
Romanian deficient, insuficient
- deficientlacking something essential
- insuficientinsufficient or inadequate in amount
- deficientinsufficient or inadequate in amount
Spanish deficiente, deficiente
- deficientelacking something essential
- deficienteinsufficient or inadequate in amount
Swedish bristfällig
- bristfälliginsufficient or inadequate in amount
Turkish eksik, eksik
- eksiklacking something essential
- eksikinsufficient or inadequate in amount
- azinsufficient or inadequate in amount
Ukrainian недоскона́лий, позба́влений
- недоскона́лий (nedoskonályj)lacking something essential
- позба́влений (pozbávlenyj)lacking something essential
- недоста́тній (nedostátnij)insufficient or inadequate in amount
- непо́вний (nepóvnyj)insufficient or inadequate in amount
Welsh diffygiol
- diffygiollacking something essential
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with deficient
Cite this entry
deficient. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deficient
“deficient.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deficient. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “deficient,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deficient.
Source: deficient on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.