defective
Americanadjective
-
Sometimes defected having a defect or flaw; faulty; imperfect.
a defective machine.
- Synonyms:
- deficient, incomplete
-
Psychology. characterized by subnormal intelligence or behavior.
-
Grammar. (of an inflected word or its inflection) lacking one or more of the inflected forms proper to most words of the same class in the language, as English must, which occurs only in the present tense.
noun
adjective
-
having a defect or flaw; imperfect; faulty
-
(of a person) below the usual standard or level, esp in intelligence
-
grammar (of a word) lacking the full range of inflections characteristic of its form class, as for example must, which has no past tense
Other Word Forms
- defectively adverb
- defectiveness noun
- nondefective adjective
- nondefectively adverb
- nondefectiveness noun
- predefective adjective
- undefective adjective
- undefectively adverb
- undefectiveness noun
Etymology
Origin of defective
First recorded in 1375–1425; from Late Latin dēfectīvus, equivalent to dēfectus ( defect ) + -īvus -ive; replacing Middle English defectif, from Middle French, from Late Latin, as above
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“If we’re saying that a platform’s recommendation engine is a defective product, that digital forensic trail, which used to be just evidence of radicalization, could now be evidence of liability.”
From Los Angeles Times
But this case argues that the firms are responsible for defective products, with business models designed to hold people's attention and to promote content that can harm their mental health.
From Barron's
“Despite having been on notice of the many serious injuries and/or fatalities caused by the defective design of their vehicles, including the Cybertruck, Tesla continued to manufacture and sell such dangerous vehicles.”
From Los Angeles Times
However, this case argues that the firms are responsible for defective products, with business models designed to hold people's attention and to promote content that can harm their mental health.
From Barron's
“You are to be commended for this increase. However we continue to receive complaints of defective wiring. Quality control must improve.”
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
