peccant

1. (pathology, historical, also figurative) Especially of humours of the body: diseased, unhealthy; also, causing disease.Examples: "Thus haue I deſcribed and opened as by a kinde of diſſection, thoſe peccant humors (the principall of them) vvhich hath not onely giuen impediment to the proficence of Learning, but haue giuen alſo occaſion, to the traducement thereof: […]"; "It is allowed, that Senates and great Councils are often troubled with redundant, ebullient, and other peccant Humours, with many Diſeaſes of the Head and more of the Heart; with ſtrong Convulſions, with grievous Contractions of the Nerves and Sinews in both Hands, but eſpecially the Right; with Spleen, Flatus, Vertigos and Deliriums; with Scrophulous Tumors full of fœtid purulent Matter; with ſower frothy Ructations, with Canine Appetites and Crudeneſs of Digeſtion, beſides many others needleſs to mention."; "It is far from impoſſible to reconcide, […] the ſacredneſs of as hereditary principle of ſucceſſion in our government, vvith a povver of change in its application in caſes of extreme emergency. Even in that extremity (if vve take the meaſure of our rights by our exerciſe of them at the Revolution) the change is to be confined to the peccant part only; to the part vvhich produced the neceſſary deviation; and even then it is to be effected vvithout a decompoſition of the vvhole civil and political maſs, for the purpoſe of originating a nevv civil order out of the firſt elements of ſociety."alsoarchaicfigurativelyhistorical

2. (obsolete) Offending a norm, a rule, etc.; defective, faulty, wrong.Examples: "Nor is the Party cited bound to appear, if the Citation be evidently peccant in point of Form or Matter."; "Olive rested her eyes for some moments upon Mrs. Luna, without speaking. Then she said: 'Your veil is not put on straight, Adeline.' / 'I look like a monster—that, evidently, is what you mean!' Adeline exclaimed, going to the mirror to rearrange the peccant tissue."Synonyms: erroneous, incorrectarchaicobsolete