Deficient

Pronunciation: /dɪˈfɪʃənt/

Definitions of deficient

adjective lacking in some necessary quality or element

Example Sentences

A1 The student's understanding of basic math concepts is deficient.

A2 Her diet is deficient in essential vitamins and minerals.

B1 The company's training program was found to be deficient in certain areas.

B2 The report highlighted several areas where the organization's security measures were deficient.

C1 The project's budget was deemed deficient by the financial auditors.

C2 The lawyer argued that the evidence presented by the prosecution was deficient and should be dismissed.

Examples of deficient in a Sentence

formal The report highlighted several areas where the company's training program was deficient.

informal She always feels deficient in math compared to her classmates.

slang I can't believe how deficient his gaming skills are!

figurative His leadership style was deficient in empathy and understanding.

Grammatical Forms of deficient

• past tense: deficient
• plural: deficients
• comparative: more deficient
• superlative: most deficient
• present tense: deficient
• future tense: will be deficient
• perfect tense: have been deficient
• continuous tense: is being deficient
• singular: deficient
• positive degree: deficient
• infinitive: to be deficient
• gerund: deficiently
• participle: deficient

Origin and Evolution of deficient

First Known Use: 1500 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'deficient' originated from the Latin word 'deficiens', which is the present participle of 'deficere' meaning 'to fail or be lacking'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'deficient' has retained its original meaning of lacking or inadequate, but has also come to be used in a wider context to describe anything that is not up to standard or falls short in some way.