deficient

CEFRC1

/dɪˈfɪʃənt/

adjective · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Lacking something needed or expected.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Insufficient or inadequate in amount.

Examples

  • English is a very deficient language in this area.

  • The young engineer was deficient in experience.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
1
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Of a number n, Having the sum of divisors σ(n)<2n, or, equivalently, the sum of proper divisors (or aliquot sum) s(n)<n.

  2. Lacking something essential; often construed with in.

noun

Extra meaning

  1. A person who is deficient.

More examples

In context

  • The structure is deficient in harmony.

  • Apothecia lecanoroid; multilocular; each cell containing a single theke; paraphyses deficient.

  • They were deficient in social skills.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The soil was blank in nitrogen, so the plants grew very slowly.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Latin deficiens, present participle of deficere (“to lack, fail, be wanting”); see defect.