The result of consuming or using something faster than it is being replenished or replaced. [L. deficio, to fail]
- base d. a decrease in the total concentration of blood buffer base, indicative of metabolic acidosis or compensated respiratory alkalosis.
- oxygen d. the difference between oxygen uptake of the body during early stages of exercise and during a similar duration in a steady state of exercise; sometimes considered as the formation of the oxygen debt.
- pulse d. 1. the absence of palpable pulse waves in a peripheral artery for one or more heart beats, as is often seen in atrial fibrillation; 2. the number of such missing pulse waves (usually expressed as heart rate minus pulse rate per minute).
- sleep d. a lack of sleep time or a relative lack of one of the stages of sleep as determined by a sleep study.
* * *
de·fi·cit 'def-(ə-)sət; Brit also di-'fis-ət, 'dē-fə-sət n a deficiency of a substance <a potassium \deficit> also a lack or impairment of a functional capacity <cognitive \deficits>
* * *
def·i·cit (defґĭ-sit) a lack or deficiency.Medical dictionary. 2011.