noun
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the state or quality of being infirm
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physical weakness or debility; frailty
-
a moral flaw or failing
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of infirmity
1325–75; Middle English infirmite < Latin infirmitās. See infirm, -ity
Explanation
A weakness or disability, especially due to old age, is called an infirmity. The noun infirmity, when used alone, is generally understood to mean physical frailty. If you want to imply mental weakness or some other disability, then use an adjective for clarity, as in this example: "His mental infirmity was caused by an early onset of Alzheimer's disease." Don't confuse infirmity with infirmary. The latter is a place where the sick and infirm go to recover: "Because of her infirmity, she often ended up being seen by doctors at the infirmary."
Vocabulary lists containing infirmity
The Tragedy of Macbeth
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Julius Caesar
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"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act I
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And on the whole, Americans don’t do that, believing that age and infirmity only matter if they impede on a person’s ability to do their job.
From Salon • Nov. 19, 2025
The old guard has a lock on how things run—and OK, yes, at least a few of them seem to be dealing with actual infirmity.
From Slate • Jun. 14, 2024
The family has learned, with guidance from ONEgeneration, how to understand and accommodate Saldana’s infirmity — how to resist pushing back when she’s combative or confused.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 23, 2023
The arrival comes two years after the zoo had to euthanize two of its older female elephants, Ambika, 72, and Shanthi, 45, because of old age and infirmity.
From Washington Post • Nov. 7, 2022
However you call it, the result was our infirmity before the criminal forces of the world.
From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
