A state of physical weakness, feebleness, or lack of strength, often due to illness or age.
From Latin 'debilitas,' derived from 'debilitare' (to weaken), which combines 'de-' (from) and 'habilis' (able). The term entered English in the 14th century and originally referred to both physical and moral weakness.
In Victorian literature, characters constantly suffered from 'debility'—it was the go-to diagnosis when doctors couldn't figure out what was actually wrong. It was basically the medical version of 'something is wrong but we have no idea what.'
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