LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinefourth declension

dēfectus1

dēfectus m (genitive dēfectūs)
Classical[deːˈfɛk.tʊs]Ecclesiastical[deˈfɛk.tus]

Meaning

  1. failure
  2. absence
  3. weakness, failing, defect
  4. defection, revolt

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativedēfectusdēfectūs
genitivedēfectūsdēfectuum
dativedēfectuīdēfectibus
accusativedēfectumdēfectūs
ablativedēfectūdēfectibus
vocativedēfectusdēfectūs

dēfectus, ūs, m. deficio.
I. (For defectio, no. I.) Defection, revolt: magno animo defectum eorum tulit, Curt. 7, 19, 39 Mützell.: legionum, Capitol. Macr. 8.—
II. ( = defectio, no. III.) A failing, failure, lack, disappearance (freq. in the elder Pliny; elsewhere rare): lactis (mammae), Plin. 20, 23, 96, § 256: stomachi, weakness, id. 19, 5, 29, § 92: animi, a swoon, id. 20, 2, 6, § 12: albicante purpurae defectu, fading away into white, id. 37, 9, 40, § 123: in tanto defectu rerum, freedom from occupation, Amm. 16, 5, 5. Of the eclipsing of the heavenly bodies: solis, Lucr. 5, 751; imitated by Verg. G. 2, 478: ejus (sc. lunae) species ac forma mutatur tum crescendo, tum defectibus in initia recurrendo, Cic. N. D. 2, 19 fin.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*de
  2. Proto-Indo-European*déh₁
  3. Proto-Italic*dē
  4. Latindēfectus

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 dēfectus From dēficiō + -tus (forming action nouns).

Descendants
  • Catalandefecte
  • Englishdefect
  • GermanDefekt
  • Germandefekt
  • Italiandifetto
  • Portuguesedefeito
  • Romaniandefect
  • Spanishdefecto
  • Belarusianдэфе́кт
  • Bulgarianдефе́кт
adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective
dēfectus2
dēfectus (feminine dēfecta, neuter dēfectum, comparative dēfectior, superlative dēfectissimus)
Classical[deːˈfɛk.tʊs]Ecclesiastical[deˈfɛk.tus]

Meaning

  1. adjectivetired, worn out
  2. adjectivefaulty, defective

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativedēfectusdēfectadēfectum
genitivedēfectīdēfectaedēfectī
dativedēfectōdēfectaedēfectō
accusativedēfectumdēfectamdēfectum
ablativedēfectōdēfectādēfectō
vocativedēfectedēfectadēfectum
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativedēfectīdēfectaedēfecta
genitivedēfectōrumdēfectārumdēfectōrum
dativedēfectīsdēfectīsdēfectīs
accusativedēfectōsdēfectāsdēfecta
ablativedēfectīsdēfectīsdēfectīs
vocativedēfectīdēfectaedēfecta

dēfectus, a, um, Part. and P. a., from deficio.

Origins

Perfect passive participle of dēficiō.

Quick answers

What does dēfectus mean in Latin?
dēfectus, a noun, means “failure; absence; weakness, failing, defect”.
What is the genitive of dēfectus?
The genitive singular is dēfectūs. dēfectus is masculine, fourth declension.
How do you pronounce dēfectus?
In classical Latin, [deːˈfɛk.tʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [deˈfɛk.tus].
Where does dēfectus come from?
Proto-Indo-European *de → Proto-Indo-European *déh₁ → Proto-Italic *dē → Latin dēfectus.