deficit

noun DEH-fee-cheet Less Common

Origin: Latin deficit 'it is lacking', from deficere.

Also means

shortfall

Usage Note

Deficit is invariable in Italian — it does not change form in the plural (i deficit). It is used mainly in financial and economic contexts. A false friend caution: in Italian it can also describe a cognitive or neurological deficit (deficit di attenzione = attention deficit).

Examples

"Il governo deve ridurre il deficit pubblico."

Natural Translation

The government must reduce the public deficit.

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