n.
Pronunciation: ' d ē - ˌ fekt, di- '
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin defectus lack, from deficere to desert, fail, from de- + facere to do ― more at DO
Date: 15th century
1 a : an imperfection that impairs worth or utility : SHORTCOMING <the grave defect s in our foreign policy> b : an imperfection (as a vacancy or an unlike atom) in a crystal lattice
2 [Latin defectus ] : a lack of something necessary for completeness, adequacy, or perfection : DEFICIENCY <a hearing defect >