deficiente

[d̪efiˈsjẽn̪t̪e]

/[d̪efiˈsjẽn̪t̪e]/ adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“deficiente” is a moderately-common Spanish word, ranked #12,576 in Spanish word frequency and used as an adjective.

#12,576
frequency rank, Spanish
10
letters
15
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Que le falta algo que debería tener.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

deficiente vs deficientes
91% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for deficiente
PropertyValue
Headworddeficiente
LanguageSpanish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA[d̪efiˈsjẽn̪t̪e]
Letters10
Frequency rank#12,576
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “deficiente” sits in Spanish frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). deficiente lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The Spanish entry for deficiente is 10 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [d̪efiˈsjẽn̪t̪e]. Corpus data places it at rank #12,576 in overall Spanish word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for deficiente, with forms such as "ddeficiente", "defciiente", and "defficiente". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "deficientes", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Our source data has no etymology on file for this entry, so its spelling is best explained by sound-to-letter mapping rather than etymology. The correct Spanish form is deficiente, spelled D-E-F-I-C-I-E-N-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Que le falta algo que debería tener.
  2. 2
    De cantidad o calidad no apropiadas, o sin todas las características para considerarse normal.
  3. 3
    Referido a una persona: Sin las facultades mentales para desempeñarse de modo autónomo en la sociedad.
  4. 4
    Referido a una calificación: Que no alcanza el mínimo para cumplir los parámetros de aprobación.
  5. 5
    Trabajo u objeto cuya calidad es ínfima y deja mucho que desear.

Synonyms

faltoincompletoimperfectoinsuficientemaloreprobado

This word in other languages

deficient(English)déficient(Français)mangelhaft(Deutsch)deficiente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddeficiente,defciiente,defficiente,deficciente,deficeinte,deficienet,deficiennte,deficientte,deficietne,deficinete,defiicente,defisiente,deifciente,dfeiciente,edficiente

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of deficiente - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ddeficiente1defciiente2defficiente1deficciente1deficeinte2deficienet2deficiennte1deficientte1
Edit distance from "deficiente"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 Spanish corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "deficiente"?
"deficiente" is spelled D-E-F-I-C-I-E-N-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is [d̪efiˈsjẽn̪t̪e].
What does "deficiente" mean?
As an adjective, "deficiente" means: Que le falta algo que debería tener.
What words are commonly confused with "deficiente"?
"deficiente" is commonly confused with "deficientes". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "deficiente"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "deficiente" is [d̪efiˈsjẽn̪t̪e]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "deficiente" come from?
"deficiente" is a Spanish word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “deficiente”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct Spanish spelling is D-E-F-I-C-I-E-N-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [d̪efiˈsjẽn̪t̪e] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “deficientes” - see the side-by-side comparison. deficiente vs deficientes
  • Browse more Spanish words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Spanish words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list