English
deficient
Deficient comes from Latin deficiens ‘failing, disappointing’, from deficiō ‘to lack, fail, be wanting’, 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 CEdeficiōas deficere, present participle‘to lack, fail, be wanting’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdeficiens‘failing, disappointing’
- Englishearliest quotation 1882deficient
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 CEdeficiōas deficere, present participle‘to lack, fail, be wanting’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdeficiens‘failing, disappointing’
- Englishearliest quotation 1882deficient
Earliest quotation: 1882, Edward Tuckerman, Henry Willey: “Apothecia lecanoroid; multilocular; each cell containing a single theke;…”
Linked words
through Proto-Italic *θakjō
effectively, effectiveness, ineffective, affectionate, imperfection, putrefaction, 64 more
through Proto-Italic *fakjō ‘to make’
effective, factor, difficulty, perfection, manufacture, interface, affection, faction, imperfect, facet, affective, effector, affectation, confectionary, deface, 70 more
through Latin facio ‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’
face, fact, perfect, effect, feature, difficult, affect, profit, facility, infection, faculty, affair, feat, sacrifice, facial, facilitate, fetish, efficient, infect, counterfeit, facade, efficacy, superficial, facsimile, façade, defection, beautify, confection, parfait, defector, hacienda, aficionado, refectory, confit, facies, maleficent, efficacious, difficile, beneficent, 85 more
through Latin deficiō ‘to lack, fail, be wanting’
Today it means
adj Lacking something essential; often construed with in.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- / deficient