DictionaryRoot: facere
Latin

facere

do, make

Forms

  • fac-
  • fact- — Latin stem of the form meaning ‘done’ or ‘made.’
  • -fic- — Used in Latin compounds.
  • -fect- — Stem of the form meaning ‘done’ or ‘made’ in Latin compounds.
  • -fy — English ending developed from Latin -ficare, a formation based on this verb.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *dheh₁-, ‘put; set; do.’

Note

Especially productive in formations meaning ‘cause to become.’

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noun

defect

DEE-fekt/ˈdiːfekt/

A flaw or imperfection.

A cracked tooth creates a defect in the metal gear.

A single cracked cog tooth in a metal gear causing a gap in its engagement with another gear.
Etymology

The 'away' and 'do, make' components formed a verb meaning 'fail.' Its noun named a lack, especially of something essential to completeness, leading to the sense of a flaw or imperfection.

In context

Amoeba Sisters7:14
So, a septal defect could mean an opening and oxygen-rich blood could mix with oxygen-poor blood. Depending on the size, this can cause future problems such as an abnormal heartbeat
Circulatory System and Pathway of Blood Through the Heart

More examples

  • Inspectors found several defects.
  • The fabric had a small defect.
  • They corrected the design defect before production.

Forms

defect · defects

Similar words

flaw
Can be slight and need not affect function.
fault
Often identifies the cause of a problem.