fault

Meaning

Noun

1. Culpability; the responsibility for a blameworthy event.
2. A defect, imperfection, or weakness; more severe than a flaw.
3. A defect, imperfection, or weakness; more severe than a flaw.
4. A defect, imperfection, or weakness; more severe than a flaw.
5. (obsolete) A defect, imperfection, or weakness; more severe than a flaw.
6. A mistake or error.
7. A mistake or error.
8. A mistake or error.
9. A mistake or error.
10. A point at which something is divided, interrupted, or disconnected.
11. A point at which something is divided, interrupted, or disconnected.
12. A point at which something is divided, interrupted, or disconnected.
13. A point at which something is divided, interrupted, or disconnected.
14. (obsolete) want; lack; absence

Verb

1. (transitive) To criticize, blame or find fault with something or someone.
2. (intransitive) To fracture.
3. (intransitive) To commit a mistake or error.
4. (intransitive) To undergo a page fault.

Synonyms

defect

error

mistake

blemish

flaw

sin

blame

guilt

offence

crime

failure

blunder

wrong

shortcoming

imperfection

deficiency

transgression

failing

offense

weakness

slip

malfunction

lapse

weak point

misdeed

vice

demerit

drawback

damage

breakdown

criticize

censure

misdemeanour

bug

🐛

responsibility

mismanagement

break

frailty

fracture

spot

stumble

oversight

disgrace

discredit

cause

misdemeanor

misconduct

lack

indiscretion

judge

🧑‍⚖️

Translations

faute

Fehler

défaut

colpa

culpa

Schuld

erreur

errore

fout

error

tort

falha

defecto

error

falla

Pronounced as (IPA)

/fɔːlt/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: faulte

Cognate with Middle English: schuld

Cognate with Old English: scyld

Cognate with Middle English: lac

Cognate with Middle Dutch: lak

Cognate with Middle English: last

Cognate with Old Norse: lǫstr

Cognate with French: faute

Cognate with Portuguese: falta

Cognate with Spanish: falta

In summary

From Middle English faute, faulte, from Anglo-Norman faute, Old French faute, from Vulgar Latin *fallita (“shortcoming”), feminine of *fallitus, in place of Latin falsus, perfect passive participle of fallō (“deceive”). Displaced native Middle English schuld, schuild (“fault”) (from Old English scyld (“fault”)), Middle English lac (“fault, lack”) (from Middle Dutch lak (“lack, fault”)), Middle English last (“fault, vice”) (from Old Norse lǫstr (“fault, vice, crime”)). Compare French faute (“fault, foul”), Portuguese falta (“lack, shortage”) and Spanish falta (“lack, absence”). More at fail, false.