faulty
Americanadjective
adjective
-
defective or imperfect
-
archaic culpable
Other Word Forms
- faultily adverb
- faultiness noun
- nonfaulty adjective
- unfaulty adjective
Etymology
Origin of faulty
First recorded in 1300–50, faulty is from the Middle English word fauty. See fault, -y 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Due to a faulty gene, before the treatment Oliver was unable to produce an enzyme crucial for keeping cells healthy.
From BBC
The landlords said they thought the faulty ventilation system served the whole block, but after finding out this was not the case a specialist company was contacted to have the system checked and repaired.
From BBC
In April, two defence ministry officials and the director of a defence plant and his deputy were arrested on suspicion of supplying tens of thousands of faulty shells to the army.
From Barron's
If that process fails, the faulty proteins are targeted for breakdown into amino acids so they can be recycled.
From Science Daily
The bipartisan Robb-Silberman commission later praised his probing approach and criticized the CIA’s faulty reporting on Iraq.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
