Weakness
/ˈwiːk.nəs/noun
The state or quality of being weak; lack of strength.
Did you know?In medieval alchemical texts, weakness was often associated with the soul's vulnerability to darker forces, emphasizing the battle between strength and spirit.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*weg-
“to be strong, to be lively, to be active.”
Old English
Old English
wēac
“lacking strength, feeble.”
Old English
Old English
wēacness
“the quality of being weak; frailty.”
Middle English
Middle English
wekness
“the state of being weak, physical or moral frailty.”
Modern English
English
weakness
“the condition of lacking strength or force.”