Failure
/ˈfeɪljər/noun
Failure is the lack of success or the act of not achieving a desired result.
Did you know?English failure comes through French from Latin fallere, the same root behind fault, false, and fallacious — a whole family built around deception and slipping off the truth.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰel-
“To deceive, cheat, or disappoint expectation”
Latin
Latin
fallere
“To deceive, trick, or disappoint”
Late Latin
Latin
fallitura
“A failing or shortcoming”
Old French
Old French
faillir
“To fail, be lacking, or come short”
Middle English
English
failure
“A failing, deficiency, or lack of success”
Modern English
English
failure
“The condition or fact of not succeeding”
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