Etymologically
Log in

déficit

Etymology and origin of the French word déficit

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1560
Ultimate origin
Latin (dēficiō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
French déficit
English deficit

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /de.fi.sit/[1]

Forms

déficit m (plural déficits)[1]

Etymology

It is Latin dēficit (“it is lacking”), taken over unchanged,[2][3][4][5] the third person singular present of Latin dēficere (“to fail, be lacking”), from “dē-” and Latin facere (“to do, make”).[3][6] It was written in inventories against the items that were missing.[4][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

A 1560 inventory (Thierry) has it for an item missing from an inventory;[2][3] Bloch and Wartburg and the GLLF date it to 1589 (L'Estoile).[4][7]

Semantic evolution

It became a term of finance in 1771 (Trévoux): the sum that a budget lacks to balance income and expenditure.[2][3] Rousseau's Confessions already use it figuratively, and by extension it is any shortfall (Proudhon, before 1865), and in medicine, psychology and climatology a deficiency (déficit immunitaire).[4][7][3] Déficitaire dates from 1909.[3] English deficit was taken from French in 1782.[8]

Timeline

  • 1560 – In an inventory.[2]
  • 1589 – In L'Estoile.[4]
  • 1771 – In finance.[2]
  • 1782 – English deficit.[8]
  • Before 1865 – Any shortfall, in Proudhon.[7]
  • 1909 – Déficitaire.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (finance) A deficit: déficit budgétaire, être en déficit.[9][10]
  2. A shortfall, shortage: un déficit en main-d'œuvre.[9][7]
  3. (medicine) A deficiency: déficit hormonal, déficit immunitaire.[9][10]

Word family

  • déficitaire
  • déficitaire
  • déficient
  • défectif
  • défection
  • English deficit

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 30a
  6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  9. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  10. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)

Borrowed into

Cite this entry

“Déficit.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/d%C3%A9ficit. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·