Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

enfeeble

/ɪnˈfiːbəl/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.37 in modern English

Syllables: en-fee-ble
IPA: /ɪnˈfiːbəl/

13

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

3

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To make feeble.

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"1774, Dr Samuel Johnson, Preface to the Works of the English Poets, J. Nichols, Volume II, Page 130, "...the gout, with which he had long been tormented, prevailed over the enfeebled powers of nature.""
"In the face of enfeebled, self-harming opposition on both sides of the border (and a miserable economic recession on both sides too) he has performed brilliantly."
"The Republican-appointed justices may yet enfeeble the executive branch’s ability to implement federal law."

Etymology

From Middle English enfeblen, from Old French enfeblir. Constructed like en- + feeble.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: enfeblen, enfeblir

Usage

Transitive verb

Inflected Forms

enfeebles (present, singular) enfeebling (participle, present) enfeebled (participle, past) enfeebled (past) infeeble (alternative)

Derived Forms

enfeeblement enfeebler

Synonyms

weaken debilitate drain

Rhymes With

feeble keeble giebel griebel liebel biebel kriebel liebl weible riebel shtiebel

Questions

How do you pronounce enfeeble?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɪnˈfiːbəl/.
What does enfeeble mean?: To make feeble.
Where does enfeeble come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce enfeeble

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “enfeeble”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɪnˈfiːbəl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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