decrepit

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /dɪˈkrɛpɪt/ UK /dɪˈkrɛpɪt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
worn out or weakened by age or long use

They lived in a decrepit cottage with a sagging roof.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · worn out or weakened by age... dilapidated rickety worn-out ramshacklerun-downinfirm feeble decaying

Opposites

sturdy robust sound new vigorous

Word family

Forms decrepitude

Derived forms decrepitudedecrepitly

Simplified etymology

Decrepit entered English in the late Middle English period from Latin decrepitus, derived from crepare, “to rattle or creak.” The association with creaking was extended to describe someone weakened by age or infirmity.

Etymology

From Latin dēcrepitus ('very old, infirm'), perhaps from de- (intensive) plus crepāre ('to crack, creak, rattle'), the notion being one creaking with age.

dēcrepitus Latin crepāre Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# decrepit

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /dɪˈkrɛpɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪˈkrɛpɪt/

## Meanings
1. worn out or weakened by age or long use

## Examples
- They lived in a decrepit cottage with a sagging roof.

## Synonyms
- dilapidated
- rickety
- worn-out
- ramshackle
- run-down
- infirm
- feeble
- decaying

## Antonyms
- sturdy
- robust
- sound
- new
- vigorous

## Derived Forms
- decrepitude
- decrepitly

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: dēcrepitus
- Root: crepāre

## Etymology
From Latin dēcrepitus ('very old, infirm'), perhaps from de- (intensive) plus crepāre ('to crack, creak, rattle'), the notion being one creaking with age.

## AI Etymology
Decrepit comes from Latin dēcrepitus ('very old, infirm'), perhaps from de- (intensive) plus crepāre ('to crack, creak, rattle'), the notion being one creaking with age. The historical trail runs through Latin dēcrepitus and Latin crepāre. Morphologically, the surface form is analyzable into prefixes, suffixes, compounds, or participial endings that carry part of the history. In modern use it means worn out or weakened by age or long use. Derived formations include decrepitude, decrepitly.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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