Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Weak in body or mind, especially from old age or disease. synonym: weak.
  • adjective Not strong or stable; shaky.
  • adjective Archaic Lacking firmness of will, character, or purpose; irresolute.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Not firm, stable, or strong; lacking stability or solidity; faltering; feeble: as, an infirm support; an infirm judgment.
  • Specifically Not sound in health; impaired in health or vitality; enfeebled; weak: as, infirm in body or constitution.
  • Voidable; obnoxious to legal objection that may destroy apparent efficacy.
  • To weaken; enfeeble.
  • To make less firm or certain; render doubtful, questionable, or dubious.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Not firm or sound; weak; feeble
  • adjective Weak of mind or will; irresolute; vacillating.
  • adjective Not solid or stable; insecure; precarious.
  • transitive verb obsolete To weaken; to enfeeble.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Weak or ill, not in good health.
  • adjective insecure; irresolute
  • adjective frail; unstable
  • verb To contradict, to provide proof that something is not.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective lacking bodily or muscular strength or vitality
  • adjective lacking firmness of will or character or purpose

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English infirme, from Old French, from Latin īnfirmus : in-, not; see in– + firmus, strong, firm; see dher- in Indo-European roots.]

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word infirm.

Examples

  • Now I read that being old and infirm is no bar to voting Obama, not even having advanced Alzheimers is a bar.

    Archive 2008-11-01 Not a sheep 2008

  • Remote monitoring service will benefit the long-term infirm

    The most recent articles from Computing 2008

  • Remote monitoring service will benefit the long-term infirm

    The most recent articles from Computing 2008

  • I also want to identify with those who will be most adversely affected by the closures, namely the infirm and the elderly.

    Archive 2008-07-01 2008

  • And Gates is frail and infirm, which is another justification for saying “elderly.”

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Gates Charges Dropped: 2009

  • I also want to identify with those who will be most adversely affected by the closures, namely the infirm and the elderly.

    Post Office petition 2008

  • They found many amusing things, but the care of the sick and the infirm was the first duty, and they had many willing helpers.

    The Wonder Island Boys: Treasures of the Island Roger Thompson Finlay

  • But there's a big difference between "elderly" and "infirm" - as the 70-year-old woman on the spin bike next to mine would quickly point out.

    NYT > Home Page By PHILIP GALANES 2011

  • While the real flu is very likely to claim the lives of the young, weak, and infirm, which is a tragedy, the Swine Flu is much more likely to make them ill for three-to-four days, after which they will recover.

    neweurasia.net 2009

  • Other franchises advised to mind their Ps and Qs due to the infirm are the Chicago Bulls

    FOXSports.com News 2008

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.