frailty
UK[ˈfreɪlti]US[ˈfreɪlti]
n
The condition of being weak and delicate, especially in health.
n
A weakness in character or morals; a fault or failing.
Morpheme Breakdown
frail
ty
frail
weak
ty
state or condition
Etymology
The word 'frailty' traces its lineage to the Latin adjective 'fragilis', meaning "easily broken," which is derived from the verb 'frangere', "to break." This core concept of breakability passed into Old French as 'fraile' and then into Middle English as 'frail'. The abstract noun-forming suffix '-ty', of Latin origin via French, was appended to create a term for the state of being frail. Thus, the modern meaning evolved from the literal sense of physical fragility to encompass both bodily weakness and moral susceptibility, capturing the human condition's inherent vulnerability.
Analysis
Structure: frail (weak) + ty (state or condition)
'frail' originates from Middle English 'frele', from Old French 'fraile', meaning weak or easily broken, itself from Latin 'fragilis'. The suffix '-ty' is from Old French '-te', from Latin '-tas', '-tatis', forming nouns indicating a state or condition.
Examples
The frailty of the ancient manuscript required careful handling.
He loved her despite her human frailties.
In his old age, he became increasingly aware of his own frailty.