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# deficient

adjective (deficient; more deficient)

«deficient» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Not having enough of something that is needed, especially in the body or diet: «deficient in iron». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deficient/#m1)
2. Not good enough; having weaknesses or faults: «deficient skills». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deficient/#m2)

### In the lessons

In health and science lessons, a diet deficient in vitamin C can cause illness, and plants in poor soil can be deficient in nutrients. In formal reports «deficient» means below the needed standard. Phrases: «deficient in», «vitamin-deficient», «iron-deficient».

### Examples

- Her diet was deficient in iron, so she felt tired. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deficient/#x1)
- Sailors long ago got ill from food deficient in vitamin C. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deficient/#x2)
- The soil is deficient in nitrogen, so the plants are yellow. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deficient/#x3)
- The report found the old bridge was deficient and unsafe. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deficient/#x4)
- He was deficient in sleep after the long trip. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deficient/#x5)
- (formal) The candidate's answer was deficient in detail. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deficient/#x6)
- The Russian peasant is by no means deficient in humor, a fact of which the Skazkas offer abundant evidence. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deficient/#x7)

### Note

Noun: «deficiency». Spelled with -cient. Do not confuse with «defective» (broken) or «deficit» (a shortfall of money or numbers). In maths, «deficient» means less than needed: if you need 10 and have 7, you are 3 short.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «deficient» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deficient/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«deficient» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/deficient.html) on Mova free.