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deficiency

deficiency

98 4.5
Not having enough of something that is needed
  • noun
  • /dɪˈfɪʃənsi/
translation icon : deficiencia
  • How do you fix magnesium deficiency or suboptimal levels?
  • iron deficiency
  • vitamin deficiency
  • immune deficiency

Well, immune is your immune system, and deficiency means it's weak, it's deficient.

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Examples

  • I have a calcium deficiency.

  • Her viewpoint is likely representative of her own discomfort and deficiency in teaching dance, which needs to be rectified.

    Academic text (2011)
  • The root cause may be vitamin D deficiency, OK.

  • Chronic nutrient deficiency leads to chronic weight problems.

  • Crucially for farmers, nitrogen deficiency means smaller yields.

  • Only girls with non-anemic iron deficiency were eligible for enrollment in the trial.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Many studies of the systemic effects of iron deficiency have focused on individuals with iron-deficiency anemia.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Habits and nutrient deficiencies, both of which are fixable.

  • He has a vitamin deficiency, he needs niacin and B12.

  • Many people suffer from vitamin D deficiency during the winter months.

Synonyms

lack
vsdeficiency
1.3

Not having something you need or want

is the general term for the state of not having enough
deficit
vsdeficiency
674 4.3

An amount by which money or resources are less than needed

is the general condition of insufficiency not limited to numbers
shortage
vsdeficiency
253 2.7

Not having enough of something people need, like food or water

is the broad idea describing the condition of not having enough
deprivation
vsdeficiency
76 6.2

Not having basic things you need, like food, shelter, or sleep

is the simple idea of not having something without implying long hardship
shortfall
vsdeficiency
50 5.5

A smaller amount than people need or expect

is the broad concept of not having enough rather than a measured gap
inadequacy
vsdeficiency
30 5.8

A lack of enough skill, quality, or amount to meet a need

is mainly about the general absence of what is needed
scarcity
vsdeficiency
29 4.4

A situation where there is not enough of something people need

is the general label for not having enough, not only short supply cases
want
vsdeficiency
17 4.3

A lack of the things needed to live

is the neutral label for the basic condition of not having enough
dearth
vsdeficiency
16 8.5

A lack of things people need, like food or water

is the neutral term for the simple condition of not having enough
paucity
vsdeficiency
  • Formal
7 8.6

A small amount of something that is not enough

is the common word for the general state of not having enough
insufficiency
vsdeficiency
1 6.5

A lack of skill, experience, or resources needed for a job

emphasizes the basic condition of insufficient amount or skill
scarceness
vsdeficiency
1 7.2

A small amount of something that people need

is the wider idea of not having enough beyond merely a small amount
undersupply
vsdeficiency
1 5.1

Not enough of something for people who need it

covers the general state of insufficient provision, not only demand gaps

Antonyms

91 3.3

A large amount of something, more than you need

20 5.9

Enough of something for a particular purpose

Compounds

A serious disease that weakens the immune system and spreads mainly through sex, blood, or dirty needles

mental deficiency
  • Offensive
1 8.4

Lower than usual ability to think and learn

mineral deficiency
  • Specialized
1 3.8

A lack of important nutrients from food, like iron or calcium, that the body needs to work well

1 3.2

A health condition when the body lacks iron, making you tired and pale

zinc deficiency
  • Specialized
1 4.4

A lack of zinc in the body causes slow growth, weak immune system, and skin problems

deficiency disease
  • Specialized
1 4.1

A disease that happens when you do not have enough vitamins or minerals in your diet

5.0

A problem where a person cannot tell some colors apart, often red and green

lactase deficiency
  • Specialized
4.1

A condition where the body cannot digest the sugar in milk and dairy

mass deficiency
  • Specialized
7.7

Amount of mass missing when protons and neutrons join and release energy

3.7

A diet that gives enough vitamins to people who lack them

How Much

abundance
91 3.3
adequacy
6 3.7
deficiency
98 4.5
absence
216 2.1

Surface Forms

deficiency singular
deficiencies plural

Morphology

deficiency = deficient (semi-transparent) = deficien + cy

The suffix '-cy' forms nouns from adjectives, but the connection between 'deficient' and 'deficiency' may not be fully transparent to all learners due to the spelling change.

Etymology

Deficiency comes from an old Latin word deficere meaning 'to fail' or 'be lacking', and it is the same root as deficit. So a deficiency is something that is missing or not enough, like a lack of vitamins or money.