deficit
n.-
1 financial shortfall (n.) B2 Upper Intermediate Academicthe amount of money by which a government's or company's spending is higher than its income.
the amount by which a sum of money falls short of the required amount; specifically, the excess of liabilities over assets or expenditures over income.
ExampleThe government is trying to reduce the national deficit by cutting spending.
ExampleEconomists warned that a persistent trade deficit could weaken the national currency and lead to higher interest rates in the long term.
UsageOften used with 'budget', 'trade', or 'national'.
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2 a lack or deficiency (n.) C1 Advanced Technical Academic Medicinea lack of a particular quality, skill, or ability.
a deficiency in amount, quality, or degree; frequently used in medical or psychological contexts to describe impaired function.
ExampleThe child was diagnosed with an attention deficit that made it hard to focus in class.
ExampleThe patient showed a significant cognitive deficit following the injury, particularly in tasks requiring short-term memory and spatial reasoning.
UsageCommonly appears in the phrase 'attention deficit' or 'oxygen deficit'.
From French déficit, from Latin dēficit.