Where does “feble” come from?

feble (Middle English) comes from Anglo-Norman feble, from Vulgar Latin febelis, from Latin flēbilis, from Latin fleō, from Proto-Italic flēō, from Proto-Indo-European bʰléh₁-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl-.

feble (Middle English): Feeble, weak, or strengthless; Insidious,...

Definitions

  1. Feeble, weak, or strengthless; Insidious,...

Ancestry of “feble”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Anglo-Normanfebleweak, feeble; weak; feeble
2Vulgar Latinfebelis—
3Latinflēbilislamentable
4Latinfleōto weep, cry
5Proto-Italicflēōweep, cry
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰléh₁-to bleat
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰel-to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰōl-—

Words derived from “feble”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl- →
feble — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer