impairment

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ɪmˈpɛrmənt/ UK /ɪmˈpeəmənt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a weakening or damaging of a function, faculty, or value

The accident left him with a permanent impairment of his hearing.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a weakening or damaging of... weakening damage deterioration disability handicap deficiency

Opposites

enhancement improvement strengthening

Word family

Related forms impair impaired

Etymology

From impair (from Old French empeirier, 'to make worse', from Late Latin impejorare, from in- + pejor 'worse') + the noun suffix -ment.

empeirier Old French pejor Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# impairment

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ɪmˈpɛrmənt/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪmˈpeəmənt/

## Meanings
1. a weakening or damaging of a function, faculty, or value

## Examples
- The accident left him with a permanent impairment of his hearing.

## Synonyms
- weakening
- damage
- deterioration
- disability
- handicap
- deficiency

## Antonyms
- enhancement
- improvement
- strengthening

## Related Forms
- impair
- impaired

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: empeirier
- Root: pejor

## Etymology
From impair (from Old French empeirier, 'to make worse', from Late Latin impejorare, from in- + pejor 'worse') + the noun suffix -ment.

## AI Etymology
Impairment comes from impair (from Old French empeirier, 'to make worse', from Late Latin impejorare, from in- + pejor 'worse') + the noun suffix -ment. The suffix is part of the word's derivational shape, marking the final grammatical or semantic role while the base supplies the central meaning. As a noun, it denotes "a weakening or damaging of a function, faculty, or value", keeping the historical idea close to its dictionary sense. Relevant historical forms include Old French empeirier and Latin pejor. Related words include impair, impaired.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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