Debilitate: meaning, definitions and examples
๐ช
debilitate
[ dih-BIL-i-teyt ]
to weaken
To debilitate means to make someone or something weak or infirm. It is often used in a medical context to describe the state of being weakened by illness or injury. The term can also apply to situations that cause a decline in strength or effectiveness.
Synonyms
disable, enfeeble, impair, weaken
Examples of usage
- The disease can debilitate the body over time.
- The extended drought has debilitated the crops.
- Overtraining can debilitate an athlete's performance.
Translations
Translations of the word "debilitate" in other languages:
๐ต๐น debilitar
๐ฎ๐ณ เคเคฎเคเคผเฅเคฐ เคเคฐเคจเคพ
๐ฉ๐ช schwรคchen
๐ฎ๐ฉ melemahkan
๐บ๐ฆ ะพัะปะฐะฑะปัะฒะฐัะธ
๐ต๐ฑ osลabiaฤ
๐ฏ๐ต ๅผฑไฝๅใใ
๐ซ๐ท affaiblir
๐ช๐ธ debilitar
๐น๐ท zayฤฑflatmak
๐ฐ๐ท ์ฝํ์ํค๋ค
๐ธ๐ฆ ูุถุนู
๐จ๐ฟ oslabit
๐ธ๐ฐ oslabovaลฅ
๐จ๐ณ ๅๅผฑ
๐ธ๐ฎ oslabljati
๐ฎ๐ธ veikja
๐ฐ๐ฟ ำะปัััะตัั
๐ฌ๐ช แแแกแฃแกแขแแแ
๐ฆ๐ฟ zษiflษtmษk
๐ฒ๐ฝ debilitar
Etymology
The word 'debilitate' originates from the Latin 'debilitare', which combines 'de-' meaning 'down or away from' and 'habilitare', derived from 'habilis', meaning 'handy, fit, or able'. The Latin term translates roughly to 'to make weak'. The usage of 'debilitate' has been recorded in English since the early 17th century. Initially, it was employed primarily in a medical context but has since broadened to encompass various scenarios that imply weakening or deterioration. The evolution of the word reflects the changing nature of language and the incorporation of Latin roots into English vocabulary, illustrating the influence of classical languages on modern terminology.