Deficient Meaning
/dɪˈfɪʃənt/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjLacking something essential; often construed with in.
adjInsufficient or inadequate in amount.
Sentence Examples
The young engineer was deficient in experience.
The structure is deficient in harmony.
English is a very deficient language in this area.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The soil was ____ in nitrogen, so the plants grew very slowly.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The young engineer was ____ in experience.
Word Origin & History
From Latin deficiens, present participle of deficere (“to lack, fail, be wanting”); see defect.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The soil was ____ in nitrogen, so the plants grew very slowly.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The young engineer was ____ in experience.