Lacking in some necessary quality, element, or amount. Not having enough of what is required; inadequate.
From Latin deficientem 'failing, wanting', from deficere 'to fail, fall short', composed of de- 'away' + facere 'to make or do'. The sense of falling short of a standard emerged in English by the 16th century.
Vitamin deficiency diseases like scurvy taught us that 'enough' isn't just about calories - sailors could eat plenty yet waste away from missing micronutrients. The concept of deficiency revolutionized medicine by shifting focus from what's present to what's absent.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.