Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Language: Latin
Origin: deficiens, present participle of deficere; DEFECT1

deficient

 adjective
     
de‧fi‧cient formal
1 not containing or having enough of something:
Women who are dieting can become iron deficient.
deficient in
patients who were deficient in vitamin C
2 not good enough:
Our prisons are our most deficient social service.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
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