defective

[dih-fek-tiv]

adjective

having a defect or flaw; faulty; imperfect: a defective machine.
Psychology. characterized by subnormal intelligence or behavior.
Grammar. (of an inflected word or its inflection) lacking one or more of the inflected forms proper to most words of the same class in the language, as English must, which occurs only in the present tense.

noun

a defective person or thing.

Origin of defective

1375–1425; < Late Latin dēfectīvus, equivalent to dēfectus (see defect) + -īvus -ive; replacing Middle English defectif < Middle French < Late Latin, as above

Related formsde·fec·tive·ly, adverbde·fec·tive·ness, nounnon·de·fec·tive, adjectivenon·de·fec·tive·ly, adverbnon·de·fec·tive·ness, nounpre·de·fec·tive, adjectiveun·de·fec·tive, adjectiveun·de·fec·tive·ly, adverbun·de·fec·tive·ness, noun

Synonyms for defective

1. incomplete, deficient.

Antonyms for defective

1. perfect, complete.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

British Dictionary definitions for non-defective

defective

adjective

having a defect or flaw; imperfect; faulty
(of a person) below the usual standard or level, esp in intelligence
grammar (of a word) lacking the full range of inflections characteristic of its form class, as for example must, which has no past tense

Derived Formsdefectively, adverbdefectiveness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for non-defective

defective

adj.

mid-14c., from Middle French défectif (14c.) and directly from Late Latin defectivus, from defect-, past participle stem of deficere (see deficient). A euphemism for "mentally ill" from 1898 to c.1935. Related: Defectively; defectiveness.

non-defective in Medicine

defective

[dĭ-fĕk′tĭv]

Having an imperfection or malformation.
Lacking or deficient in some physical or mental function.