French Conversation · Level 130
46 words
French word
défaillant
Pronunciation
IPA/defajɑ̃/
Meaning
- adjectivemalfunctioning
Example
L'ordinateur est défaillant depuis ce matin.
The computer has been malfunctioning since this morning.
More examples
La connexion est défaillante pendant toute la réunion.
The connection is unstable throughout the meeting.
Core concept
A faulty device continuing to operate unreliably instead of working normally.
Common phrases
connexion défaillante
unstable connection
réseau défaillant
unstable network
Similar words
cassé: Broken in a physical way, so it cannot be used normally.
abîmé: Worn or damaged in appearance or performance and not fully functional.
défectueux: Affected by a defect that prevents it from fulfilling its intended function.
Definition in French
Qui ne fonctionne pas correctement ou qui présente des défauts pouvant provoquer des pannes.
Word origin
Défaillant comes from défaillir, which developed through Old French from the Latin verb defallere.
Usage tips
- For everyday speech about a malfunctioning machine, en panne or ça marche mal is often more natural than the more formal or technical défaillant.
Other meanings
- brokenadjective
- unreliableadjective
Opposites
- fonctionnelfunctionaladjective
- fiablereliableadjective
Related words
- défaillancemalfunctionnoun