defect

noun

A fault or malfunction.

The quantity or amount by which anything falls short.

(mathematics) A part by which a figure or quantity is wanting or deficient.

verb

(intransitive) To abandon or turn against; to cease or change one's loyalty, especially from a military organisation or political party.

(military) To desert one's army, to flee from combat.

(military) To join the enemy army.

(law) To flee one's country and seek asylum.

Roots

facio-fect · Latin · make, do

Synonyms for defect

flawn shortcomingn faultn blemishn imperfectionn defectionn deficiencyn abnormalityn failuren deformityn failingn errorn irregularityn insufficiencyn mistaken omissionn

Synonyms & related words for defect

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of defect — including flaw, shortcoming, fault, blemish, imperfection, defection. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to defect

Explore words related to defect — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include defectiveness, defective, faultiness, flawy, malfunction, congenital, faulty, malformation. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for defect

Common synonyms for defect include flaw, shortcoming, fault, blemish, imperfection, defection, deficiency, abnormality — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does defect come from?

The word defect breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root -fect, from Latin facio (“make, do”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.