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

de·fi·cien·cy

noun \di-ˈfish-ən-sē\   (Medical Dictionary)

plural de·fi·cien·cies

Medical Definition of DEFICIENCY

1

: a shortage of substances (as vitamins) necessary to health

2

: deletion