A burden, hindrance, or something that weighs you down and slows you progress.
From Middle English, derived from Old French 'combre' meaning obstruction, related to 'encumber.' The suffix -ance creates a noun denoting a state or condition of being encumbered.
The word 'cumbrance' is almost identical to 'encumbrance' but fell out of fashion—it's an archaic reminder that many English words once had simpler forms before the 'en-' prefix became standardized.
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