An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

The quality of being metal deficient, e.g. → metal-deficient galaxy.

Etymology (EN): → metal; deficiency from L. deficientem (nominative deficiens), pr.p. of deficere “to desert, fail,” from → de- “down, away” + facere “to do, perform” + -ency a noun suffix, equivalent to -ence.

Etymology (PE): Kamfelezi, from kam “little, few; deficient, wanting; scarce” (Mid.Pers. kam “little, small, few,” O.Pers./Av. kamna- “small, few,” related to
keh “small, little, slender” (related to kâstan, kâhidan “to decrease, lessen, diminish,” from Mid.Pers. kâhitan, kâstan, kâhênitan “to decrease, diminish, lessen;” Av. kasu- “small, little;” Proto-Iranian *kas- “to be small, diminish, lessen”) + felez→ metal + -i suffix denoting state.