# deficit

Pronunciation: US say "DEF-uh-sit" /ˈdɛfəsɪt/; UK say "DEF-i-sit" /ˈdɛfɪsɪt/

## Noun

1. The amount by which spending exceeds income, or the situation of such a shortfall, especially in government finances.
   - Simple: The amount by which money spent is more than money taken in, especially by a government.
   - _The federal budget deficit widened sharply during the recession._
   - _Analysts warned that persistent deficits would erode investor confidence._
2. A deficiency in amount or quality; a falling short or lack of what is required.
   - Simple: A shortage of something, or the amount by which something falls short of what is needed.
   - _The report identified a serious deficit in the company's safety procedures._
   - _Sleep deficits accumulate over a busy work week and impair concentration._

## Origin

Borrowed from French déficit, which comes from the Latin dēficit.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/deficit (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).