weakness
//ˈwiːk.nɪs//
Forms
- Plural
- weaknesses
Definitions
1.The condition of being weak.
- In a small number of horses, muscle weakness may progress to paralysis.
2.An inadequate quality; fault.
- His inability to speak in front of an audience was his weakness.
- The only weakness in her plan was its reliance on the electricity being up and running.
- The compulsion to expose, renegotiate, or reinvent the strengths and weaknesses of dance tradition offers little in its final outcome to attract the average dance-goer.
3.A special fondness or obsessing desire.
- She is an athlete who has a weakness for chocolate.
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #3610
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Etymology
From Middle English wayknesse, weykenesse, replacing earlier Middle English wocnesse, wakenes, wacnesse (“weakness”), from Old English wācnes (“weakness”).
Equivalent to weak + -ness.