defective🔊

Having one or more defects. +

(grammar) (of a lexeme, especially a verb) Lacking some forms; e.g., having only one tense or being usable only in the third person.

(of a verb) Having a root whose final consonant is weak (ي, و, or ء).

(of a script) Not capable of representing all the phonemic distinctions of a language it is used to write.

(chiefly of abjad script) Spelled without ''matres lectionis'', for example (t=courage) as opposed to the ''plene'' spelling (אומץ) where the letter vav ⟨ו⟩ indicates the vowel ''o''.

(chiefly of abjad script) Without matres lectionis (letters indicating vowels) written out.

A person or thing considered to be defective.

(chiefly of abjad script) A word written without matres lectionis (letters indicating vowels).