ɪf ðɪ ˌældʒɪbɹˈeɪɪk mˌʌltɪplˈɪsᵻɾi ʌv lˈæmdə ɛksˈiːdz ɪts dʒˌiːoʊmˈɛtɹɪk mˌʌltɪplˈɪsᵻɾi ðæt ˈɪz, ðə nˈʌmbɚɹ ʌv lˈɪnɪɹli ˌɪndᵻpˈɛndənt ˈaɪdʒənvˌɛktɚz ɐsˈoʊsɪˌeɪɾᵻd wɪð lˈæmdə, ðˈɛn lˈæmdə ɪz sˈɛd təbi ɐ dᵻfˈɛktɪv ˈaɪdʒənvˌæljuː.
If the algebraic multiplicity of λ exceeds its geometric multiplicity (that is, the number of linearly independent eigenvectors associated with λ), then λ is said to be a defective eigenvalue.