fehlerhafte

Fehlerhafte is an attributive form of the German adjective fehlerhaft, meaning faulty, defective, or containing errors. It is used to describe things that are not correct or reliable, such as data, statements, products, or processes. The form varies with gender, number, and article: for example, eine fehlerhafte Datei (feminine singular), fehlerhafte Daten (plural, without article), die fehlerhafte Datei or die fehlerhaften Daten (with definite article in plural). In predicate position the adjective typically appears as fehlerhaft: Die Datei ist fehlerhaft.

Etymology and usage notes: fehlerhaft derives from Fe­hler (error, fault) with the suffix -haft, which conveys the sense “full of” or “having the quality of.” The term is widely used in technical, scientific, and quality-control contexts to label inaccuracies, defects, or inconsistencies. It can describe numerical data, software logic, specifications, documentation, or hardware components.

Nuances and related terms: fehlerhaft is broader than merely physically broken; it covers incorrectness, unreliability, or nonconformity to standards. Related terms include defekt (often physical failure), mangelhaft (substandard or defective in quality), and schadhaft (damaged or defective). A related adjective with a related nuance is fehlerbehaftet, meaning “prone to errors” or “error-prone.”

Examples: Eine fehlerhafte Datei kann zu fehlerhaften Ergebnissen führen. Die fehlerhaften Messdaten verzerrten die Analyse. Die Software enthielt eine fehlerhafte Logik, die zu Abstürzen führte.

See also: Fehler, Defekt, Mangelhaft, Schadhaft, Fehlerbehaftet.