Where does “infirm” come from?
Infirm comes from Middle English infirme, from Latin infirmus meaning weak, formed from Latin in- plus firmus meaning firm or strong, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning not and to hold.
infirm (English): Weak or ill, not in good health; Irresolute; weak...
Definitions
- Weak or ill, not in good health; Irresolute; weak...
Ancestry of “infirm”, step by step
infirm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Latin infirmo
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | infirmo | I weaken, enfeeble, deprive of strength; I... |
| 2 | Latin | īnfirmus | weak, feeble |
| 3 | Latin | īn- | un-, non-, not |
| 4 | Latin | în | in, at, on, upon, from (space) |
| 5 | Latin | en | lookǃ beholdǃ; reallyǃ?; come onǃ |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | en | in |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁én | in |
via Middle English infirme
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | infirme | — |