debility
1
8.2
- noun
- /dɪˈbɪləti/
:
debilidad
- I was taken for the month of February to Atlantic City; it was believed that the strong sea breeze would cure my fevers, swollen glands, and general debility.
Examples
-
After months of illness, her body had succumbed to debility, making everyday tasks feel overwhelming.
-
Risks for systemic mycoses include serious illness and debility, cancer or leukemia, diabetes, transplant, use of antibiotics, parenteral nutrition, drug addiction, and HIV.
Academic text (2005) -
Without an effort to counteract it, the condition can result in debility by the time someone reaches senior citizenship.
Academic text (2005) -
Furthermore, AIDS typically does not kill its victims immediately but subjects them to a prolonged period of gradually mounting debility and incapacity.
Academic text (2002) -
Of the 314 deaths, he said that 245 (78 percent) were due to fever, debility, starvation, ulcers, dysentery, or exhaustion.
Academic text (2006) -
The patient's debility limited her ability to participate in physical activities, forcing her to rely on others for help.
-
Years of poor diet and lack of exercise led to a state of debility that concerned his family.
Synonyms
133
1.4
Lack of physical or mental strength that makes someone less able to act
62
6.1
A loss of ability caused by damage or other problems
8
6.6
A weakness that makes it hard to do everyday things, often after illness or old age
3
5.0
A state of being physically weak often from old age or illness
2
9.3
A state of being worn out and weak because of old age or long use
1
4.8
A state of being physically weak because of age or illness
1
8.1
A serious loss of strength and energy that makes someone weak
Weak health that often appears in older people
A lack of energy and strength that often follows an illness
A feeling of great weakness and tiredness
Loss of body weight and muscle that makes a person weak
A state of being weak, tired and no longer effective
Antonyms
How Weak
Surface Forms
Morphology
debility = debil + ity
Formed with the productive noun-forming suffix -ity from the Latin-derived stem 'debil-' (meaning 'weak'); the stem is not a standalone English word, so the relation is regular but may be unfamiliar to many learners.
Etymology
The word debility comes from Latin parts de- meaning 'down' and -bilis meaning 'able', the same root you see in able and ability. So debility is like being 'less able', a state of physical weakness often after illness or in old age.