FAULT - Definition & Meaning for Kids
Meaning 1
Part of speech: Noun
(geology) a crack in the earth's crust resulting from the displacement of one side with respect to the other
Example: they built it right over a geological fault; he studied the faulting of the earth's crust
Categories: Crack, Cleft, Crevice, Fissure, Scissure
Meaning 2
Part of speech: Noun
(electronics) equipment failure attributable to some defect in a circuit (loose connection or insulation failure or short circuit etc.)
Example: it took much longer to find the fault than to fix it
Categories: Breakdown, Equipment failure
Meaning 3
Part of speech: Noun
responsibility for a bad situation or event
Example: it was John's fault
Categories: Responsibility, Responsibleness
Meaning 4
Part of speech: Noun
(sports) a serve that is illegal (e.g., that lands outside the prescribed area)
Example: he served too many double faults
Categories: Serve, Service
Synonyms
Flaw, Shift, Break, Blame, Error
Antonyms
🌱 Word Origin (Etymology)
The word "fault" comes from Latin falsus. It started in Vulgar Latin *fallita. Then it appeared in Old French faute. Later, people used it in Anglo-Norman faute. After that, it was Middle English faulte. Many other languages have similar words:.
- Middle English: schuld
- Old English: scyld
- Middle English: lac
- Middle Dutch: lak
- Middle English: last
- Old Norse: lǫstr
- French: faute
- Portuguese: falta
- Spanish: falta
🧩 Fun Fact
This word's path shows how empires, trade, and scholarship spread vocabulary across continents.