deficiency
dih-FISH-uhn-see
/dɪˈfɪʃnsi/
A lack or shortage, especially of something essential to health or function.
In nutrition, this usually refers to a specific vitamin or mineral (e.g., Iron deficiency) rather than a general lack of calories.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'deficere,' meaning 'to fail' or 'to leave.' It literally means that something has 'failed to be made' or is missing from the whole.
Word relationships
- shortage: Shortage is more common for supplies or money; deficiency is more common for quality or internal components.
- deficit: Deficit is almost exclusively used for finances or numbers.
- surplus: An amount of something left over when requirements have been met.
Commonly confused with
- dearth: Dearth is a lack of something available in the world; deficiency is a lack of something within a person or system.
Word family
- deficient (adjective): Not having enough of a specified quality or ingredient.
Collocations
- vitamin deficiency
- iron deficiency
- nutritional deficiency
- correct a deficiency
Example sentences
- "Vitamin D deficiency is common in northern climates during the winter months." Nutrition advice.
- "The audit identified several deficiencies in the company's safety protocols." Workplace feedback.
Memory hook
Deficiency = Deficit in Efficiency. If you lack vitamins, your efficiency drops. Deficiency = Something is missing.
When not to use
Avoid using it for things that aren't essential. You don't have a 'deficiency of video games.'
Fun facts
- Scurvy, caused by Vitamin C deficiency, killed more sailors in the Age of Discovery than storms and shipwrecks combined.
Related words
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