defect

[dee-fekt, dih-fekt, dih-fekt]

noun

1. a shortcoming, fault, or imperfection: a defect in a machine.

   a defect in an argument;

   a defect in a machine.

2. lack or want, especially of something essential to perfection or completeness; deficiency: a defect of action.

   a defect of common sense

   a defect of action.

3. Also called lattice defect. Also called crystal defect,. Crystallography.,  a discontinuity in the lattice of a crystal caused by missing or extra atoms or ions, or by dislocations.

verb (used without object)

1. to desert a cause, country, etc., especially in order to adopt another (often followed by from orto ).

   He defected from the U.S.S.R. to the West.

defect

noun

1. a lack of something necessary for completeness or perfection; shortcoming; deficiency

2. an imperfection, failing, or blemish

3. crystallog a local deviation from regularity in the crystal lattice of a solid See also point defect dislocation

verb

1. (intr) to desert one's country, cause, allegiance, etc, esp in order to join the opposing forces

Other Word Forms

• defectible adjective
• defectibility noun
• defectless adjective
• nondefecting adjective
• predefect noun
• redefect verb (used without object)
• defector noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of defect¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin dēfectus “failure, weakness,” equivalent to dēfec-, variant stem of dēficere “to run short, fail, weaken” ( deficient ) + -tus suffix of verb action

Word History and Origins

Origin of defect¹

C15: from Latin dēfectus, from dēficere to forsake, fail; see _deficient

Synonym Study

Defect, blemish, flaw refer to faults that detract from perfection. Defect is the general word for any kind of shortcoming or imperfection, whether literal or figurative: a defect in eyesight, in a plan. A blemish is usually a defect on a surface, which mars the appearance: a blemish on her cheek. Flaw is applied to a defect in quality, caused by imperfect structure (as in a diamond) or brought about during manufacture (as in texture of cloth, in clearness of glass, etc.).

Example Sentences

Two Labour councillors have defected to the Green Party, following in the footsteps of a colleague days earlier.

Read more on BBC

These crystals can easily split into separate fragments, form unusual grain boundaries, and display controllable structural defects.

Read more on Science Daily

In August last year a North Korean soldier defected to the South by crossing the MDL.

Read more on Barron's

These two generations have been defecting from the primary market.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Though hundreds of National Guard soldiers and police officers defected, the effort failed because high-ranking army officers commanding essential units didn’t.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bug 
• crack 
• deficiency 
• deformity 
• error 
• fault 
• flaw 
• glitch 
• injury 
• irregularity 
• lack 
• mistake 
• shortage 
• shortcoming 
• weakness