frailty

American  

[freyl-tee, frey-uhl-] / ˈfreɪl ti, ˈfreɪ əl- /

noun

plural

frailties

1. the quality or state of being frail.

   Synonyms:

   weakness, delicacy

2. moral weakness; liability to yield to temptation.

3. a fault resulting from moral weakness.

   frailties of the human flesh.

   Synonyms:

   defect, flaw

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frailty British  

/ ˈfreɪltɪ /

noun

1. physical or moral weakness

2. (often plural) a fault symptomatic of moral weakness

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Other Word Forms

• overfrailty noun

Etymology

Origin of frailty

1300–50; Middle English frailte, frelete < Old French frailete < Latin fragilitāt- (stem of fragilitās ). See frail ¹, -ity

Example Sentences

These results could help explain the "survival-health paradox" seen in post-menopausal women, who often live longer than men but experience higher levels of frailty and chronic illness.

From Science Daily

Kinross says there is a link between gut bacteria and frailty, or an elderly person's ability to bounce back from an illness or injury.

From BBC

He helps to run a "hospital-at-home" service, which provides specialist hospital-level care to patients with frailty and conditions such as heart failure and respiratory illness.

From BBC

At its best, “The Innocents of Florence” is an example of a complicated humanism: An empathetic study of the perpetual interplay between good intentions, human frailties and imperfect outcomes.

From The Wall Street Journal

They’re frustrated with the increasing prosperity gap between Europe and the U.S., and with Europe’s frailty in the face of foreign challenges such as Russia’s war on Ukraine.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• defect
• deficiency
• failing
• fallibility
• foible
• imperfection
• infirmity
• shortcoming