plight

¹

[ plahyt ]

noun

1. a condition, state, or situation, especially an unfavorable or unfortunate one:

   to find oneself in a sorry plight.

plight

²

[ plahyt ]

verb (used with object)

1. to pledge (one's troth) in engagement to marry.
2. to bind (someone) by a pledge, especially of marriage.
3. to give in pledge, as one's word, or to pledge, as one's honor.

noun

1. Archaic. pledge.

plight

¹

/ plaɪt /

noun

1. a condition of extreme hardship, danger, etc

plight

²

/ plaɪt /

verb

1. to give or pledge (one's word)

   he plighted his word to attempt it

2. to promise formally or pledge (allegiance, support, etc)

   to plight aid

3. plight one's troth
   1. to make a promise of marriage
   2. to give one's solemn promise

noun

1. archaic.
   a solemn promise, esp of engagement; pledge

Derived Forms

• ˈplighter, noun

Other Words From

• plighter noun
• un·plighted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of plight¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English plit “fold, condition, bad condition,” from Anglo-French (cognate with Middle French pleit plait ) “fold, manner of folding, condition”; spelling apparently influenced by plight ² in obsolete sense “danger”

Origin of plight²

First recorded before 1000; (noun) Middle English; Old English pliht “danger, risk”; cognate with Dutch plicht, German Pflicht “duty, obligation”; (verb) Middle English plighten, Old English plihtan (derivative of the noun) “to endanger, risk, pledge”; cognate with Old High German phlichten “to engage oneself,” Middle Dutch plihten “to guarantee”

Word History and Origins

Origin of plight¹

C14 plit, from Old French pleit fold, plait ; probably influenced by Old English pliht peril, plight ²

Origin of plight²

Old English pliht peril; related to Old High German, German Pflicht duty

Synonym Study

See predicament.

Example Sentences

She wants to help the animals because she feels connected with their plight as someone who is also physically different, but that desire doesn’t go beyond surface motivations.

From Los Angeles Times

The petition continued: “This personal story is not just about seeking justice for one individual; it’s about challenging a system that often overlooks the plight of our Indigenous brothers and sisters.”

From Los Angeles Times

The plight of Kapadia’s Oscar campaign ought to be a tiny note in the larger conversation around the movie, a prize winner at Cannes.

From Los Angeles Times

Both women show the radical possibilities of reimagining liberalism as a tradition that takes seriously the plight of women in seeking to articulate a better way to achieve America’s highest egalitarian potential.

From Salon

The Mauritius government did not respond, when asked to comment on the plight of the boy with burns.

From BBC

Related Words

• condition
• predicament
• quandary
• trouble