Bible Dictionaries
Defect

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

primarily "a lessening, a decrease, diminution," denotes "a loss." It is used of the "loss" sustained by the Jewish nation in that they had rejected God's testimonies and His Son and the Gospel, Romans 11:12 , the reference being not only to national diminution but to spiritual "loss;" RV, "loss," for AV, "diminishing." Here the contrasting word is pleroma, "fullness." In 1 Corinthians 6:7 the reference is to the spiritual "loss" sustained by the church at Corinth because or their discord and their litigious ways in appealing to the world's judges. Here the RV has "defect" (marg. "loss"), for AV, "fault." The preceding adverb "altogether" shows the comprehensiveness of the "defect;" the "loss" affected the whole church, and was "an utter detriment."

In the Sept. of Isaiah 31:8 the word signifies the "loss" of a defeat, with reference to the overthrow of the Assyrians; lit. "his young men shall be for loss" (i.e., "tributary"). See DIMINISHING , FAULT , LOSS.

Note: Cp. hettao, "to make inferior," used in the Passive Voice, "to be overcome" (of spiritual defeat, 2 Peter 2:20 ), and the adjective hetton or hesson, "less, worse."