Faltante

Faltante is a term in the Spanish language with several related meanings and usages. It can function as both an adjective and a noun, and its exact sense depends on context.

As an adjective, faltante describes something that is not present, lacking, or incomplete. It is used to indicate that a component, data, recurso, or element should exist but is absent. Common collocations include piezas faltantes, datos faltantes, and inventario faltante.

As a noun, el faltante can refer to the missing element itself, or, in specific contexts, to a missing person or to a discrepancy in accounting or inventory. In accounting and auditing, a faltante is the amount or item that cannot be reconciled with the recorded records—such as unaccounted cash (faltante en caja) or missing inventory (faltante de inventario). In some jurisdictions, especially in police or media usage, a faltante can denote a person reported as missing, although terms like persona desaparecida are more standard.

Origin and regional usage: from faltar, meaning to lack or to be absent. The term is widely used in Latin American Spanish, particularly in business, logistics, and law enforcement contexts. In Spain, falta and related phrases are often preferred, but faltante is still understood and used in similar ways in technical or formal registers.