NYT Dictionary
DEFECT
/ˈdiːfɛkt/NounVerbDE-fectde-fect · 2 syllablesGrade 5
Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2023
Meaning
A fault or malfunction.
Etymology
Origin: Latin
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h₁ Proto-Indo-European *déh₁ Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin de- Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₁kyéti Proto-Italic *θakjō Proto-Italic *fakjō Latin facio Latin dēficiō Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Italic *-tus Latin -tus Latin dēfectusbor. English defect Borrowed from Latin defectus (“a failure, lack”), from deficere (“to fail, lack, literally 'undo'”), from past participle defectus, from de- (“of, from”) + facere (“to do”).
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 1 recorded puzzle: