Asthenical

/æsˈθɛnɪkəl/ adjective

Definition

An alternative form of asthenic, meaning characterized by weakness or lacking in strength.

Etymology

Extended form of asthenic with the suffix '-al,' creating a variant adjective form used in older medical texts.

Kelly Says

The '-ical' ending variation shows how medical terminology developed multiple acceptable forms—'asthenic' and 'asthenical' could both appear in the same 19th-century medical journal without anyone batting an eye.

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