English
defect
Defect comes from Latin dēfectus ‘a failure, lack’, from dēficiō ‘to be exhausted, run out, fail, run out, be…’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁k-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁kyétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θakjōreconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fakjō‘to make’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfacio‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēficiō‘to be exhausted, run out, fail, run out, be wanting, fail, cease, disappear’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēfectus‘a failure, lack’
- Englishearliest quotation 1824defect
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁k-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁kyétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θakjōreconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fakjō‘to make’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfacio‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēficiō‘to be exhausted, run out, fail, run out, be wanting, fail, cease, disappear’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdēfectus‘a failure, lack’
- Englishearliest quotation 1824defect
Earliest quotation: 1824, Lydia Sigourney: “and the indefatigable application with which they have supplied…”
The story
Borrowed from Latin defectus (‘a failure, lack’), from deficere (‘to fail, lack, literally 'undo'’), from past participle defectus, from de- (‘of, from’) + facere (‘to do’).
Linked words
through Proto-Italic *θakjō
affectionate, imperfection, putrefaction, 65 more
through Proto-Italic *fakjō ‘to make’
factor, difficulty, interface, effectively, manufacture, faction, effectiveness, perfection, affection, facet, ineffective, imperfect, affective, deface, affectation, effector, confectionary, 68 more
through Latin facio ‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’
face, fact, difficult, profit, feature, facility, perfect, faculty, affair, sacrifice, efficient, effective, facial, effect, facilitate, affect, infection, feat, superficial, efficacy, fetish, counterfeit, facade, facsimile, hacienda, façade, infect, maleficent, aficionado, beautify, parfait, facies, difficile, efficacious, confit, beneficent, confection, refectory, 85 more
through Latin dēficiō ‘to be exhausted, run out, fail, run out, be…’
Today it means
noun A fault or malfunction.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- / defect