Dictionary

imperfection en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɪmpɚˈfɛkʃən/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Old French imperfeccion, from Latin imperfectiōnem, accusative of imperfectiō, from in- + perfectiō. By surface analysis, im- + perfection.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) Those qualities or features that are imperfect; the characteristic, state, or quality of being imperfect.
   • You can accept your imperfection or try to improve.
   • And for the first time she realised what it was to escape from the smallish perfection of England, into the grander imperfection of a great continent. 1920, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “The Journey Across”, in The Lost Girl, London: Martin Secker […], →OCLC, page 325:
2. (countable) Something that makes something else less than perfect; a blemish, impurity, error, etc.
   • He loves me despite my imperfections.
   • Notice that cleavage has nothing to do with imperfections in the crystal. Indeed, if you try cleaving an imperfect crystal, you may find that it cannot be cleaved as well as a perfect one. The cleavage is the result of the orderliness of the atomic arrangement. No wonder imperfections, which disturb the orderliness, disturb the cleavage as well. You will also note that the cleavage directions are obedient to the symmetry of the crystal. 1982, Alan Holden, Phylis Morrison, “Cleaving and Gliding Crystals”, in Crystals and Crystal Growing, Cambridge, Mass.; London: MIT Press, →ISBN, page 202:
   • It will be sufficient for me if I discover many beauties or imperfections which others have not attended to; and I should be very glad to see one of our eminent writers publish their discoveries on the same subject. 2026 September 25 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], “FRIDAY, December 31, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 262; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume III, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 308:

Forms

Antonyms

flawlessness (antonym(s) of “quality of being imperfect”) · perfection (antonym(s) of “quality of being imperfect”)

Synonyms

imperfectness · problem (something that prevents perfection) · weakness (something that prevents perfection) · mark (something that prevents perfection) · flaw (something that prevents perfection) · fault (something that prevents perfection) · corruption (quality of being imperfect)

Translations (47)

uk недоскона́лість (state of being imperfect) · nl imperfectie (state of being imperfect) · ga neamhfhoirfeacht (state of being imperfect) · oc imperfeccion (state of being imperfect) · tr kusursuzluk (state of being imperfect) · eo malperfektaĵo (something that makes something else less than perfect) · gl imperfección (state of being imperfect) · bcl kakundian (state of being imperfect) · ro imperfecțiune (state of being imperfect) · el ατέλεια (something that makes something else less than perfect) · hi अपूर्णता (state of being imperfect) · bg дефект (something that makes something else less than perfect) · pl niedoskonałość (something that makes something else less than perfect) · tr mükemmellik (state of being imperfect) · tr eksiklik (something that makes something else less than perfect) · fi epätäydellisyys (state of being imperfect) · ro imperfecțiune (something that makes something else less than perfect) · fi puutteellisuus (state of being imperfect) · pl niedoskonałość (state of being imperfect) · ca imperfecció (something that makes something else less than perfect) · bg недостатък (something that makes something else less than perfect) · tr mükemmeliyet (state of being imperfect) · tr defo (something that makes something else less than perfect) · ast imperfeición (state of being imperfect) · cs nedokonalost (state of being imperfect) · gl imperfección (something that makes something else less than perfect) · fi vika (something that makes something else less than perfect) · fi puute (something that makes something else less than perfect) · ast imperfeición (something that makes something else less than perfect) · pt imperfeição (something that makes something else less than perfect) · nl onvolmaaktheid (state of being imperfect) · sq gërdhitë (state of being imperfect) · mi takarepa (something that makes something else less than perfect) · el ατέλεια (state of being imperfect) · hu tökéletlenség (state of being imperfect) · ru несоверше́нство (state of being imperfect) · ang unfulfremednes (state of being imperfect) · tr kusur (something that makes something else less than perfect) · nl schoonheidsfout (something that makes something else less than perfect) · ang unfulfremednes (something that makes something else less than perfect) · el ψεγάδι (something that makes something else less than perfect) · bg несъвършенство (state of being imperfect) · ca imperfecció (state of being imperfect) · uk недоскона́лість (something that makes something else less than perfect) · pt imperfeição (state of being imperfect) · es imperfección (state of being imperfect) · cs nedokonalost (something that makes something else less than perfect)