English
deficit
Deficit comes from Latin dēficiō ‘to move away, leave, withdraw, break away’, from facio ‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’, 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 CEdēficiōas dēficit‘to move away, leave, withdraw, break away’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentdéficit
- Englishearliest quotation 1962deficit
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 CEdēficiōas dēficit‘to move away, leave, withdraw, break away’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentdéficit
- Englishearliest quotation 1962deficit
Earliest quotation: 1962, Talking of Trains: Passed to you, Mr. Macmillan: “Dr. Beeching's obvious intent is that if Scottish—and similarly…”
Linked words
through Proto-Italic *θakjō
effectively, effectiveness, ineffective, affectionate, imperfection, putrefaction, 64 more
through Proto-Italic *fakjō ‘to make’
effective, factor, interface, difficulty, perfection, manufacture, affection, faction, imperfect, facet, affective, effector, affectation, confectionary, deface, 70 more
through Latin facio ‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’
face, fact, perfect, feature, effect, difficult, affect, infection, faculty, affair, profit, facility, feat, sacrifice, facial, efficient, facilitate, fetish, infect, counterfeit, facade, efficacy, superficial, facsimile, façade, hacienda, defection, beautify, confection, parfait, maleficent, defector, facies, refectory, aficionado, efficacious, difficile, confit, beneficent, 85 more
through Latin dēficiō ‘to move away, leave, withdraw, break away’
Today it means
noun Deficiency in amount or quality; a falling short; lack.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- / deficit