English Explanatory Dictionary

defect

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A fault or malfunction.
  2. The quantity or amount by which anything falls short.
  3. A part by which a figure or quantity is wanting or deficient.
verb
  1. To abandon or turn against; to cease or change one's loyalty, especially from a military organisation or political party.
  2. To desert one's army, to flee from combat.
  3. To join the enemy army.
  4. To flee one's country and seek asylum.

Pronunciation

dē'fĕkt /ˈdiːfɛkt/ En-us-defect.ogg LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-defect (verb).wav dĭfĕkt' /dɪˈfɛkt/

Word forms

defect defects defecting defected

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h₁ Proto-Indo-European *déh₁ Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin de- Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₁kyéti Proto-Italic *θakjō Proto-Italic *fakjō Latin facio Latin dēficiō Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Italic *-tus Latin -tus Latin dēfectusbor. English defect Borrowed from Latin defectus (“a failure, lack”), from deficere (“to fail, lack, literally 'undo'”), from past participle defectus, from de- (“of, from”) + facere (“to do”).

Synonyms

defect fault flaw imperfection shortcoming drawback deficiency inadequacy peccadillo sin

Related words

defective defeat deficiency deficient deficit error flawless

Derived words

angular defect birth defect bulk defect CHILD syndrome congenital heart defect crystallographic defect defectible defectious defectless defect of one's qualities defectology Frenkel defect line defect mass defect microdefect organic defect planar defect point defect re-defect renal dysplasia-limb defects syndrome Schottky defect stereodefect title defect volume defect defection defector nondefecting redefect
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