defect

defect — noun

IPA/ˈdiːfekt/
KK[dˈifɛkt]IPA/ˈdiːfekt/
  • defectsingular
  • defectsplural

1. A shortcoming in a product, machine, design, or system that stops it from workin

1.nounB1
Definition

A shortcoming in a product, machine, design, or system that stops it from working as it should or makes it less good than it ought to be.

Example

The manufacturer recalled the phone due to a defect in the battery that could cause overheating.

defect in [part] — specifies the location of the flaw

Before selling the apartment, Ilan had to fix a structural defect in the foundation.

Common collocations
  • birth defect
  • structural defect
  • manufacturing defect
  • genetic defect
  • software defect
  • heart defect
  • major defect
  • minor defect
  • defect in
Synonyms
  • flaw

    more general; can be minor and does not always affect function (a flaw in a diamond)

  • fault

    often implies responsibility or blame; used in legal and engineering contexts (a design fault)

  • imperfection

    milder, more about appearance than function (a small imperfection in the wood)

Antonyms
  • perfection

    the state of being entirely without defects

Usage Note

Commonly paired with prepositions 'in' (defect in the wiring) or 'of' (defect of design). Frequently used with adjectives indicating severity: major, minor, serious, critical.

Common Mistakes

The product has a defect of quality.
The product has a quality defect.
'quality defect' is the natural noun+noun compound; 'defect of quality' sounds unnatural.
There is a defect on the screen.' (when describing a built-in flaw).
There is a defect in the screen.
'in' is used for an internal flaw; 'on' suggests a surface mark.

2. A medical condition, often present from birth, in which a specific organ or body

2.nounB2
Definition

A medical condition, often present from birth, in which a specific organ or body structure does not develop or function in the normal healthy way.

Example

The baby was born with a heart defect that required surgery within the first year.

born with a [body part] defect — congenital condition pattern

A routine eye exam revealed a minor defect in the lens of Ayana's left eye.

Common collocations
  • birth defect
  • heart defect
  • hearing defect
  • spinal defect
  • vision defect
  • genetic defect
Synonyms
  • abnormality

    broader term for anything outside the normal range; can be less severe than a defect

  • malformation

    specifically refers to a body part that is wrongly shaped; more technical

Usage Note

Often used in medical contexts with specific body parts: heart defect, spinal defect, vision defect, hearing defect. The phrase 'birth defect' is common and refers to conditions present at birth.

Common Mistakes

He has a defect in walking.
He has a walking defect.' or 'He has a defect that affects his walking.
the noun-noun compound ('walking defect') or a relative clause is more natural than 'defect in + gerund.'

defect — verb

IPA/dɪˈfekt/
KK[dɪfˈɛkt]IPA/dɪˈfekt/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe something wrong, but they differ in severity and focus. A 'defect' suggests a shortcoming that affects function or quality — it is the most serious and often implies a standard was not met. A 'flaw' can be minor or major and applies to design, character, or appearance; a diamond can have a tiny 'flaw' that does not stop it from being beautiful. 'Fault' often carries a sense of responsibility or blame — when a bridge collapses, engineers look for a design 'fault' — and is common in legal and technical contexts. 'Imperfection' is the mildest of the four; it refers to a small deviation from perfect and is often used for cosmetic issues (an 'imperfection' in the wood grain). For learners: if a phone battery overheats, it has a 'defect'; if a painting has a tiny mark, it has an 'imperfection'; if a machine was designed badly, it has a 'fault'; if a gem is not flawless, it has a 'flaw'.

defect ↗flaw ↗fault ↗imperfection ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • defect in the system
  • defect of character

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Defect comes from Latin 'dēfectus' meaning 'failure, lack', which derived from 'dēficere' — 'to desert, fail, run short'. That Latin verb was built from 'dē-' (away, down) and 'facere' (to do, make). The word entered English through French in the 1400s. The noun sense ('a lack or flaw') and the verb sense ('to desert one side for another') both come from the same Latin root but developed along two paths: the noun from the idea of 'falling short' and the verb from the idea of 'going away'.

First known use

15th century

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Verb