default
UK[dɪˈfɔːlt]US[dɪˈfɔːlt]
n
A failure to fulfill an obligation, especially to repay a loan or appear in a court of law.
n
A preselected option adopted by a computer program or other mechanism when no alternative is specified by the user or programmer.
v
To fail to fulfill an obligation, especially to repay a loan.
v
(of a computer program or other mechanism) To revert automatically to a preselected option.
Morpheme Breakdown
de
fault
de
down, away, completely
fault
failure, lack
Etymology
The word 'default' entered English in the early 13th century from the Anglo-French defaute and Old French defaillir, meaning "to fail." Its core components trace back to Latin: the intensive prefix de- and the verb fallere, meaning "to deceive, disappoint, or be lacking." The original sense was of a failure to act, particularly a failure to appear in court or to discharge a duty. This legal and financial meaning of failing to meet an obligation remains primary. The modern computing sense, referring to a preselected state or action taken in the absence of an alternative choice, emerged in the 1960s, extending the core idea of "what happens if you fail to make a choice or take an action."
Analysis
Structure: de (down, away, completely) + fault (failure, lack)
- de: A Latin prefix meaning "down, away from, completely." It often indicates reversal or intensification.
- fault: From Old French faute, falte ("lack, deficiency"), from Vulgar Latin fallita ("shortcoming"), from Latin fallere ("to deceive, disappoint"). In this word, it carries the sense of "failure" or "lack."
Examples
The company is in danger of defaulting on its massive debt.
If you don't specify a font, the document will use the default setting.
He lost the case by default when he failed to appear in court.