enfeebled
/ɪnˈfiːbəld/
adjective
Origin
Old French
en- + feble — in- + weak
Overview
Meaning Now
- Deprived of strength; made weak or physically frail.
- Lacking vitality, energy, or force.
Literal older meaning
made into a weak state
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
enfeoblen
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The word traces back to the Vulgar Latin *infeblire*, itself from *flebilis* (lamentable/feeble). The transition through French highlights the common medieval linguistic process of prefixing 'en-' to denote a change of state, a pattern also seen in 'enlarge' or 'enrich'.
Evolution
- Vulgar Latin
infeblire
“to weaken”
- Old French
enfeobler
“to make weak”
- Middle English
enfeoblen
“to render weak or infirm”
- Early Modern English
enfeebled
“rendered weak”
Standardization of the past participle as an adjective
Connections
Word parts
en-
prefix
cause to be
feebl
root
weak
-ed
ending
past participle suffix
Related across languages
French
faible
weak
Italian
fievole
feeble
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Related to enfeebled
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.