enfeeblement

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the act or process of making someone or something weak

   Years of underfunding led to the gradual enfeeblement of the institution.

2. 2
   noun

   a state of severe weakness or loss of strength

   The illness caused profound physical enfeeblement.

From enfeeble + -ment. Enfeeble combines en-, 'to cause to be,' with feeble, from Old French feble and ultimately Latin flebilis, 'lamentable,' which developed the sense 'weak.'

Topics