English
infirm
Infirm comes from Latin infirmus ‘weak, feeble’, from firmus ‘strong, firm’, and ultimately from Proto-Italic *en- ‘in, into, in-’.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*en-‘in, into, in-’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfirmus‘strong, firm’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinfirmus‘weak, feeble’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500infirme
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1606infirm
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*en-‘in, into, in-’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfirmus‘strong, firm’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinfirmus‘weak, feeble’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500infirme
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1606infirm
Earliest quotation: c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of King Lear: “[…] Here I stand your slave, A poor, infirm,…”
Linked words
through Proto-Italic *en- ‘in, into, in-’
impulse, incense, incubation, impel, incubus, incubate, censer, 7 more
through Latin firmus ‘strong, firm’
confirm, affirmative, affirmation, affirming, firmament, 8 more
Today it means
adj Weak or ill, not in good health.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *en- / infirm