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déficience

deficiency, lack

noun day-fee-SYAHNS Rare

Origin: Latin 'deficientia' (failing, shortfall)

Usage Note

Déficience is used in medical and formal contexts to mean a lack or insufficiency — déficience immunitaire ('immune deficiency'), déficience mentale ('intellectual disability'). The related adjective déficient ('deficient, inadequate') and the more everyday manque ('lack') cover similar ground at different registers.

Examples

"Il souffre d'une déficience en vitamine D."

Natural Translation

He suffers from a vitamin D deficiency.

Literal Translation

He suffers of a deficiency in vitamin D.

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