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Definition of debility

debility

/dɪˈbɪl.ə.ti/
de · bil · i · ty
Plural:debilities
•
Adjective:debilitated
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debility Lexical Profile

debility Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Physical weakness or feebleness, especially as a result of illness, exhaustion, or advanced age.

Example

"After weeks of recovering from pneumonia, he still experienced a lingering physical debility that made climbing stairs difficult."

2

A lack of efficacy, vigor, or power in an organization, system, or intellectual effort.

Example

"Historians often attribute the empire's collapse to the chronic financial and administrative debility of its central government."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for debility

• Nearby Words

debilitate
debilitating
debilitation
debility
debit
deboard
debonair

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the late 14th century from Old French debilite, from Latin debilitas ('weakness, infirmity'), derived from debilis ('weak, crippled'), which combines de- ('from, away') and habilis ('easily handled, fit, able').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Debility. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/debility
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