debil

See also: débil and dèbil

Albanian

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin debilis (“weak, frail, feeble”).

Noun

debil m

1. moron, idiot

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Chavacano

Etymology

From Spanish débil (“weak”).

Adjective

debil

1. weak

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Czech

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin debilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈdɛbɪl]
• Rhymes: -ɛbɪl

Noun

debil m

1. (offensive) a moron (disliked person), a dumb person

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:hlupák

2. (dated, medicine) mentally ill person

Related terms

• debilní
• debilita

Further reading

• debil in Příruční slovník jazyka českého, 1935–1957
• debil in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, 1960–1971, 1989
• debil in Internetová jazyková příručka

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Danish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin debilis.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -iːl

Adjective

debil

1. moronic

Inflection

Inflection of debil
	Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Common singular	debil	—	—2
Neuter singular	debilt	—	—2
Plural	debile	—	—2
Definite attributive1	debile	—	—
1) When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite, the corresponding "indefinite" form is used. 2) The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

References

• “debil” in Den Danske Ordbog

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German

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin debilis.

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

debil (strong nominative masculine singular debiler, not comparable)

1. (dated, now offensive) slightly mentally challenged; slightly retarded

Declension

Positive forms of debil (uncomparable)

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter	all genders
predicative		er ist debil	sie ist debil	es ist debil	sie sind debil
strong declension (without article)	nominative	debiler	debile	debiles	debile
	genitive	debilen	debiler	debilen	debiler
	dative	debilem	debiler	debilem	debilen
	accusative	debilen	debile	debiles	debile
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der debile	die debile	das debile	die debilen
	genitive	des debilen	der debilen	des debilen	der debilen
	dative	dem debilen	der debilen	dem debilen	den debilen
	accusative	den debilen	die debile	das debile	die debilen
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein debiler	eine debile	ein debiles	(keine) debilen
	genitive	eines debilen	einer debilen	eines debilen	(keiner) debilen
	dative	einem debilen	einer debilen	einem debilen	(keinen) debilen
	accusative	einen debilen	eine debile	ein debiles	(keine) debilen

Derived terms

• grenzdebil

Further reading

• “debil” in Duden online
• “debil” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

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Occitan

Etymology

From Latin dēbilis. Attested from the 13th century.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Béarn)

  (file)

Adjective

debil m (feminine singular debila, masculine plural debils, feminine plural debilas)

1. weak

   Synonym: feble

   Antonym: fòrt

Related terms

• debilitar
• debilitat

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Polish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin debilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɛ.bil/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛbil
• Syllabification: de‧bil

Noun

debil m pers (feminine debilka)

1. (derogatory) a moron

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:głupiec

2. (pathology, obsolete) person with slight mental retardation

Usage notes

In obsolete medical usage, "debil" denoted the mildest level of developmental disability. More severe levels were denoted by the words imbecyl and idiota.

Declension

Declension of debil

	singular	plural
nominative	debil	debile
genitive	debila	debili/debilów
dative	debilowi	debilom
accusative	debila	debili/debilów
instrumental	debilem	debilami
locative	debilu	debilach
vocative	debilu	debile

Derived terms

• debilizm
• debilny

 

Further reading

• debil in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• debil in Polish dictionaries at PWN

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Romanian

Etymology

From French débile, from Latin debilis.

Adjective

debil m or n (feminine singular debilă, masculine plural debili, feminine and neuter plural debile)

1. stupid

Declension

Declension of debil

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative/ accusative	indefinite	debil		debilă	debili	debile
	definite	debilul		debila	debilii	debilele
genitive/ dative	indefinite	debil		debile	debili	debile
	definite	debilului		debilei	debililor	debilelor

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Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin debilis.

Noun

dèbīl m (Cyrillic spelling дѐбӣл)

1. (pathology, obsolete) person with slight mental retardation
2. (derogatory) a moron, jerk

Usage notes

In obsolete medical usage, "debil" denoted the mildest level of developmental disability. More severe levels were denoted by the words imbecil and idiot.

Declension

Declension of debil

	singular	plural
nominative	debil	debili
genitive	debila	debila
dative	debilu	debilima
accusative	debila	debile
vocative	debile	debili
locative	debilu	debilima
instrumental	debilom	debilima

Derived terms

• debilizam
• debilni

 

Further reading

• “debil” in Hrvatski jezični portal

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Swedish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin debilis. Used since the 1920s.

Adjective

debil (not comparable)

1. moronic, slightly mentally challenged

Declension

Inflection of debil
Indefinite	Positive	Comparative	Superlative2
Common singular	debil	—	—
Neuter singular	debilt	—	—
Plural	debila	—	—
Masculine plural3	debile	—	—
Definite	Positive	Comparative	Superlative
Masculine singular1	debile	—	—
All	debila	—	—
1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine. 2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative. 3) Dated or archaic

Synonyms

• efterbliven
• förståndsklen
• förståndssvag
• utvecklingsstörd

Related terms

• debilitet

References

• debil in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• Debil in Nordisk familjebok (2nd ed. supplement, 1926)
• debil in Ord för ord : svenska synonymer och uttryck (1984)