Word: deficient (adjective)

Associations

The word "deficient" means lacking something that is necessary or not enough of something. It often refers to a shortage or absence of an essential quality or component.

• Example 1: "The patient was found to be deficient in vitamin D." This means the patient does not have enough vitamin D, which is important for health.
• Example 2: "The report was deficient in details." This means the report did not have enough details to be complete or clear.
• Example 3: "He felt deficient in his knowledge of the subject." This means he felt he did not know enough about the subject.

The synonym "inadequate" can be used here, but "deficient" often implies a specific lack of something essential, while "inadequate" can refer to something that is not enough in general, not necessarily essential.

Substitution

You can use words like "lacking," "insufficient," or "incomplete" instead of "deficient."

• "Lacking" emphasizes the absence of something needed.
• "Insufficient" suggests that there is not enough of something.
• "Incomplete" means not having all parts or elements.

Deconstruction

The word "deficient" comes from the Latin root "deficientem," which means "failing" or "failing to do." It has the prefix "de-" meaning "down from" or "away," and the root "ficient" comes from "facere," meaning "to make or do." So, it conveys the idea of falling short in making or doing something.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when you felt deficient in a skill or knowledge? What did you do about it?
• Are there areas in your life where you feel you might be deficient? How can you work on improving those areas?
• In what situations would you use the word "deficient" instead of "inadequate"?