Welcome to Question.com Skip directly to: Search Box, Site Navigation, Content.

 
 

Defective

a.
  1. Wanting in something; incomplete; lacking a part; deficient; imperfect; faulty; -- applied either to natural or moral qualities; as, a defective limb; defective timber; a defective copy or account; a defective character; defective rules.
  2. (Gram.) Lacking some of the usual forms of declension or conjugation; as, a defective noun or verb.

n.
  1. Anything that is defective or lacking in some respect.
  2. (Med.) One who is lacking physically or mentally.

Under the term defectives are included deaf-mutes, the blind, the feeble-minded, the insane, and sometimes, esp. in criminology, criminals and paupers.