Frailty
/ˈfreɪlti/
nounB2
Definition
Frailty is the state of being weak or delicate, often because of age, illness, or lack of strength. It can describe a person’s body that is not strong or their feelings that are easily hurt or affected.
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See It in Action
Physical weakness or delicate health, often due to old age
- •After the illness, he showed signs of frailty and needed help walking.
- •Frailty is common in elderly people because their bodies are weaker.
- •The doctor warned about the frailty of her bones after the accident.
Emotional or mental weakness, being easily upset or hurt
- •His frailty showed when he cried during the sad movie.
- •Frailty of spirit can make people feel vulnerable in difficult times.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "frailty" like "weakness" (A2 word), but more serious and often about health or emotions
- ✓Picture an old, thin glass that can easily break if you drop it
- ✓It's the feeling when you get tired quickly or when someone is easily hurt emotionally
- ✓Sounds like "FRAY-lee" → imagine a frayed rope that is thin and about to break
- ✓Think of a fragile flower that looks beautiful but can be easily damaged
- ✓NOT like "strong" (healthy and tough), frailty means the opposite: weak and delicate
- ✓NOT like "fatigue" (just tired), frailty is long-term weakness or fragility
- ✓NOT like "illness" (disease), frailty is about overall weakness, not a specific sickness
Try Other Words
- •Delicacy: quality of being delicate or easily broken (Use when talking about something very fragile or sensitive, not just people)
- •Vulnerability: state of being open to harm or attack (Use when focusing on emotional or physical openness to danger)
- •Fragility: physical delicateness or easily broken state (Use when emphasizing the physical aspect of being fragile)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "frail" (weak, delicate) + suffix "-ty" (forms a noun meaning condition or state)
- •Etymology: From Latin "fragilitas," meaning fragileness or weakness
- •Historical development: Used since the 15th century to describe physical and moral weakness
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in medicine and everyday language to describe weakness in old age or delicate emotional state
Reflect & Connect
•How does frailty affect the way we care for elderly people or those who are weak?
•Can frailty be a strength in some situations, like showing vulnerability to get help?
Fill in the blanks
1.Frailty often happens because of ___ or long illness that makes the body weak.
2.When someone shows frailty, they may need ___ to do simple tasks.
3.Emotional frailty means a person is easily ___ by sad or difficult news.
4.Frailty is different from fatigue because it is a ___ condition, not just tiredness.
5.Doctors check for frailty to understand the ___ risks in elderly patients.
6.The frailty of the old bridge made engineers worry it could ___ soon.
7.People with frailty should avoid ___ activities that might cause injury.