The spelling of the word "wanting" is fairly straightforward, with the consonant-vowel-consonant-vowel-consonant pattern typical of many English words. The initial "w" is pronounced as a voiced bilabial glide /w/, followed by the short vowel sound /ɒ/ in the first syllable. The second syllable contains the long vowel sound /eɪ/, represented by the digraph "an." The final syllable includes the consonant sound /t/ and the vowel sound /ɪŋ/ as represented by the letter "i" and the digraph "ng," respectively.
Wanting is an adjective that describes a state of lacking or being deficient in certain qualities, attributes, or characteristics. It refers to something that is incomplete, unsatisfactory, inadequate, or substandard. The term can be used to describe various aspects, such as behavior, performance, quality, or condition.
In terms of behavior or character, wanting refers to a deficiency in moral or ethical standards. It suggests a person lacking integrity, honesty, or reliability. It implies a shortfall in fulfilling one's obligations or responsibilities, often resulting in disappointment or dissatisfaction with their actions or conduct.
In relation to performance, wanting signifies a lack of skill, ability, or competence. It suggests a person or group failing to meet expectations or achieve satisfactory results. It implies an inadequacy in accomplishing specific tasks or goals, often pointing to a need for improvement or development in the area.
Regarding quality or condition, wanting denotes a subpar or below-standard state. It signifies the absence of traits or features that are essential for completeness, excellence, or satisfaction. It suggests an insufficiency or deficiency that results in an undesirable or unsatisfactory outcome.
Overall, wanting describes a state of deficiency, incompleteness, or insufficiency in various aspects of life, ranging from behavior and performance to quality and condition. It emphasizes a need for improvement, development, or rectification to attain a more desirable, satisfactory, or optimal state.
Absent: deficient.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "wanting" comes from the Old Norse word "vanta" which means "to lack or be in need of". It entered the English language through the Middle English word "wanten" which also meant "to lack or be without". Eventually, the continuous form of the verb, "wanting", came into use to indicate an ongoing state of lack or need.