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deficio

Etymology and origin of the Latin word deficio

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Cato
Ultimate origin
Latin (faciō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [deːˈfɪ.ki.oː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [deˈfiː.t͡ʃi.o][1]

Forms

dēficiō (present infinitive dēficere, perfect active dēfēcī, supine dēfectum); third (-iō variant) conjugation[1] An old formula in Livy has the perfect subjunctive dēfexit; the passive is supplied partly by dēfīō.[2][3]

Etymology

It is from dē- “away” and faciō “to do, make”.[2][1][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Cato, of revolting.[2] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

In Cato it meant to fall away, revolt, and Caesar has ab aliquō dēficere “to desert someone”.[2][6] In Lucilius it meant to be lacking, run short, and in Horace of a supply to give out.[2] In Cicero things fail someone, and in the passive someone is left without something.[2] In Virgil it meant to lose strength, and of winds to drop; in Ovid to die and to fade out; in Terence to falter at a task.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to fail, faint, be wanting, pine for, vanish.[7] Its participle dēficiēns gave English deficient in the 1580s, and its noun dēfectus “failure, revolt” gave English defect in the early 15th century.[4]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of revolting.[2][5]
  • c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it of running short.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of things failing.[2][5]
  • early 15th century – English defect is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To fall away, revolt, desert.[2]
  2. To fail, leave short; in the passive, to lack.[2]
  3. To run short, give out.[2]
  4. To weaken; to die; to fade out; to subside.[2]
  5. To falter.[2]

Word family

  • dēfectiō
  • dēfectīvus
  • dēfector
  • defectrix
  • dēfectus
  • indēfectus
  • indēficiēns
  • subdēficiō
  • dēfectibilis

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Deficio.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/deficio. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·