deficit

noun

1. the property of being an amount by which something is less than expected or required

- new blood vessels bud out from the already dilated vascular bed to make up the nutritional deficit

Similar word(s): shortage, shortfall

Definition categories: attribute, deficiency, inadequacy, insufficiency

2. a deficiency or failure in neurological or mental functioning

- the people concerned have a deficit in verbal memory

- they have serious linguistic deficits

Definition categories: state, deficiency, lack, want

3. (sports) the score by which a team or individual is losing

Definition categories: quantity, score

4. an excess of liabilities over assets (usually over a certain period)

- last year there was a serious budgetary deficit

Definition categories: possession, liabilities