noun
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the state or quality of being infirm
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physical weakness or debility; frailty
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a moral flaw or failing
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
See Examples For:
On the whole, Americans don’t do that, largely believing that age and infirmity only matter if they impede on a person’s ability to do their job.
From Salon ● Nov. 19, 2025
She seems to demand as much attention as a newborn infant by weaponizing her exaggerated infirmity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2024
To Thomas, these schemes would present no constitutional infirmity, and courts could do nothing to stop them.
From Slate ● May 23, 2024
For sure, Mr. President, there are those among us who have more than their share of disease and infirmity.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 18, 2022
One person’s infirmity can be a teammate’s extra burden; there’s a constant traffic in herbal and over-the-counter solutions to pain.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
Hiding infirmities from the public is a recurring theme in American politics.
From Slate ● Jul. 2, 2026
When he studied the brochures of eight CCRCs across the country, the infirmities and dependencies of old age seemed buried.
From MarketWatch ● May 8, 2026
They refuse to accept the infirmities of previous generations without a struggle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2025
Gypsy Rose was so convincing at playing up her infirmities that doctors subjected her to numerous unnecessary surgeries, including having her salivary glands removed and installing a feeding port in her stomach.
From Salon ● Jan. 6, 2024
But there is an element of machismo in the Sherpa culture that makes many men extremely reluctant to acknowledge physical infirmities.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
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.
