# weakness

Pronunciation: say "WEEK-nuhs" /ˈwiːk.nəs/

## Noun

1. The condition of lacking strength, whether in the body, the mind, or the structure of something.
   - Simple: The state of not being strong in body, mind, or structure.
   - _The patient complained of muscle weakness following the surgery._
   - _A sudden weakness overcame him as he climbed the final flight of stairs._
2. A flaw or inadequate quality in a person, plan, or thing; a fault or shortcoming.
   - Simple: A part of someone or something that is not good enough, or a fault.
   - _Critics quickly identified a weakness in the argument's central claim._
   - _The report listed several weaknesses in the company's security systems._
3. A particular fondness for something, often one a person finds difficult to resist.
   - Simple: A strong liking for something that you find very hard to resist.
   - _She admits a weakness for expensive shoes she rarely wears._
   - _His weakness for gambling eventually cost him his savings._

## Origin

From Middle English 'wayknesse', which replaced the earlier 'wocnesse' from Old English 'wācnes' meaning 'weakness'. It is simply 'weak' combined with the suffix '-ness'.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/weakness (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).