deficiency

de·fi·cien·cy

noun \di-ˈfi-shən-sē\

plural de·fi·cien·cies

Definition of DEFICIENCY

1

: the quality or state of being deficient : inadequacy

2

: an amount that is lacking or inadequate : shortage: as a : a shortage of substances necessary to health b : deletion 2b(1)

Examples of DEFICIENCY

1. The disease may be caused by nutritional deficiencies.
2. The book's major deficiency is its poor plot.
3. a deficiency of vitamin C
4. There are several deficiencies in his plan.
5. The accident was caused by deficiencies in the engine.

First Known Use of DEFICIENCY

1603

Related to DEFICIENCY

Synonyms: crunch, dearth, deficit, drought (also drouth), failure, famine, inadequacy, inadequateness, insufficiency, lack, lacuna, paucity, pinch, poverty, scantiness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, undersupply, want

Antonyms: abundance, adequacy, amplitude, opulence, plenitude, plenty, sufficiency, wealth

Related Words: absence, omission; meagerness, poorness, skimpiness; necessity, need, privation

Near Antonyms: bountifulness, copiousness; excess, overabundance, oversupply, surfeit, surplus

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