deficiency

[ dih-fish-uhn-see ]
/ dɪˈfɪʃ ən si /

noun, plural de·fi·cien·cies.

the state of being deficient; lack; incompleteness; insufficiency.
the amount lacked; a deficit.

Origin of deficiency

1625–35; < Late Latin dēficientia, Latin dēficient- (stem of dēficiēns). See deficient, -ency

OTHER WORDS FROM deficiency

non·de·fi·cien·cy, noun, plural non·de·fi·cien·cies. pre·de·fi·cien·cy, noun, plural pre·de·fi·cien·cies.

Example sentences from the Web for deficiency

British Dictionary definitions for deficiency

deficiency
/ (dɪˈfɪʃənsɪ) /

noun plural -cies

the state or quality of being deficient
a lack or insufficiency; shortage
another word for deficit
biology the absence of a gene or a region of a chromosome normally present

Medical definitions for deficiency

deficiency
[ dĭ-fĭshən-sē ]

n.

A lack or shortage of something essential to health; an insufficiency.