Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Having a defect; faulty.
  • adjective Marked by subnormal structure, function, intelligence, or behavior.
  • adjective Grammar Lacking one or more of the inflected forms normal for a particular category of word, as the verb may in English.
  • noun One who has a physical or mental disability.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Having defect or flaw of any kind; imperfect; incomplete; lacking; faulty.
  • Specifically In grammar, wanting some of the usual forms of declension or conjugation: as, a defective noun or verb.
  • noun A person who is characterized by some special mental, moral, or physical defect; specifically, one who is deficient in one or more of the physical senses or powers.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Anything that is defective or lacking in some respect.
  • noun (Med.) One who is lacking physically or mentally.
  • adjective Wanting in something; incomplete; lacking a part; deficient; imperfect; faulty; -- applied either to natural or moral qualities
  • adjective (Gram.) Lacking some of the usual forms of declension or conjugation.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Having one or more defects.
  • adjective grammar, of a verb lacking some forms; e.g., having only one tense or being usable only in the third person.
  • noun A person considered to be defective.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective markedly subnormal in structure or function or intelligence or behavior
  • adjective having a defect
  • adjective not working properly

Etymologies

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Examples

  • It was quite clear to the Clarks that the "botanist" had not given up his hope of buying the field, in spite of the owners 'insistence that not only was its title defective but that the option had been promised to Mrs. Smith.

    Ethel Morton's Enterprise 1903

  • Mr Sarkozy said the guarantees would be at commercial rates, and he stressed that what he called defective managers would be removed - and rash shareholders would not benefit from the public intervention.

    unknown title 2008

  • Mr Sarkozy said the guarantees would be at commercial rates, and he stressed that what he called defective managers would be removed - and rash shareholders would not benefit from the public intervention.

    Radio New Zealand News Headlines 2008

  • (voice-over): A Navy spokesman tells us, Kuchera is being suspended for alleged fraud, including what he called defective pricing.

    CNN Transcript Jun 5, 2009 2009

  • "Hunter in defective condition, can't stop whining." is what the headline should read.

    Injured Hunter Sues Tree-Step Manufacturer 2009

  • "Hunter in defective condition, can't stop whining." is what the headline should read.

    Injured Hunter Sues Tree-Step Manufacturer 2009

  • Reason one, I had an 870 defective from the factory (faulty magazine retention spring wouldn't hold shells in the magazine under recoil) and it soured me on Remington for several years.

    if you could only have one shotgun what would it be? 2009

  • The system was defective from the word go, and no attempt at singing its praise would compensate for these shortcomings.

    Archive 2009-01-01 2009

  • Reason one, I had an 870 defective from the factory (faulty magazine retention spring wouldn't hold shells in the magazine under recoil) and it soured me on Remington for several years.

    if you could only have one shotgun what would it be? 2009

  • Picture frames made from virgin defective printed circuit boards.

    Terracycle or How to Turn your Trash into Gold 2009

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