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in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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Catalan
Etymology
Inherited from Vulgar Latin *fēbelis, from Latin flēbilis (“tearful, mournful, lamentable”) by dissimilation, from fleō (“to weep”) (akin to fluō (“to flow”)).
Pronunciation
Adjective
feble m or f (masculine and feminine plural febles)
- weak, feeble
- Synonym: dèbil
- Antonym: fort
Derived terms
Descendants
Further reading
- “feble”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies , 2007 April
- “feble”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025.
- “feble” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
- “feble” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
Franco-Provençal
Adjective
feble (Old Dauphinois)
- alternative form of fêblo (“weak”)
References
Galician
Etymology
Attested since 1370. Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese febre, borrowed from Old Occitan feble or Old French feble, from Vulgar Latin *fēbelis, from Latin flēbilis (“tearful, mournful, lamentable”).
Pronunciation
Adjective
feble m or f (plural febles)
- feeble; weak
- Synonym: débil
1370, R. Lorenzo, editor, Crónica troiana, A Coruña: Fundación Barrié, page 613:tu coydas que nós somos molleres mãsas et febres cõmo son as outras, et sabe que nós nõ somos taes- you think that we are meek and feeble women, as the others, but you must know that we are not such
1934, Vicente Risco, Mitteleuropa:Non istá lonxe, Rankestrasse; mais com'o vehículo non vai á présa, podolle coller o gusto no meio da baraúnda que m'axorda e m'impón. Endexamais me sintín tan extranxeiro nen tan badoco, doorosamente badoco dista volta, polo feble que m'achaba d'esprito.- Rankestrasse is not far away; but, given that the vehicle is not going fast, I can appreciate the hubbub that deafens and impress me. Never in my life have I felt so estranger and rustic, painfully rustic this time because of how feeble my spirit felt.
- soft
- Synonyms: mol, suave
References
- Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, Ana Isabel Boullón Agrelo (2006–2022) “febre”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
- Xavier Varela Barreiro, Xavier Gómez Guinovart (2006–2018) “febre”, in Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
- Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “feble”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
- Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “feble”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
Ido
Etymology
febla (“weak”) + -e
Adverb
feble
- weakly, dimly, faintly, feebly, lightly, mildly
Middle English
Etymology 1
From Anglo-Norman feble, from Latin flēbilis.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈfeːbəl/, /ˈfeːblə/
Adjective
feble (plural and weak singular feble, comparative feblere, superlative feblest)
- Feeble, weak, or strengthless:
- Infirm, weak, or frail; lacking physical strength or capability.
- Cowardly, nervous, overcautious; lacking willpower.
- Unfaithful, unbelieving; lacking religious confidence.
- Unthinking, unwise; lacking mental acuity.
- Ineffective, weak; lacking power, strength, or magnitude.
- Easily damaged, broken, or bent; lacking sturdiness or robustness.
- Insidious, iniquitous; morally wrong or erroneous.
- Of bad quality, design, or keeping; shoddily constructed or maintained.
- Sad, grieving (because of misfortune or bad luck)
- (rare, money) Having a low precious metal content.
Antonyms
Derived terms
Descendants
References
Etymology 2
From Anglo-Norman *feblir.
Verb
feble
- alternative form of feblen
Occitan
Etymology
From Vulgar Latin *fēbelis, from Latin flēbilis (“tearful, mournful, lamentable”) by dissimilation.
Pronunciation
Adjective
feble m (feminine singular febla, masculine plural febles, feminine plural feblas)
- weak, feeble
- Synonym: debil
Derived terms
Old French
Etymology
From Vulgar Latin *fēbelis, from Latin flēbilis (“tearful, mournful, lamentable”) by dissimilation.
Adjective
feble m (oblique and nominative feminine singular feble)
- weak; feeble
Derived terms
Descendants
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from Catalan feble, from Vulgar Latin *fēbelis, from Latin flēbilis (“tearful, mournful, lamentable”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈfeble/
- Rhymes: -eble
- Syllabification: fe‧ble
Adjective
feble m or f (masculine and feminine plural febles)
- feeble
- Synonym: débil
Further reading