enfeeble

/ɪnˈfiːbəl/

//ɪnˈfiːbəl// verb

"enfeeble" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“enfeeble” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To make feeble.

Corpus desk

Index EN-enfeeble · enfeeble · English

enfeeble · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "E" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for enfeeble
PropertyValue
Headwordenfeeble
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪnˈfiːbəl/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “enfeeble” in English

enfeeblefalls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

enfeeble is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ɪnˈfiːbəl/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "To make feeble.".

Zero misspellings are on record for enfeeble in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English enfeblen, from Old French enfeblir. Constructed like en- + feeble. The correct English form is enfeeble, spelled E-N-F-E-E-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make feeble.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how enfeeble appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. 1774, Dr Samuel Johnson, Preface to the Works of the English Poets, J. Nichols, Volume II, Page 130, "...the gout, with which he had long been tormented, prevailed over the enfeebled powers of nature."
  2. In the face of enfeebled, self-harming opposition on both sides of the border (and a miserable economic recession on both sides too) he has performed brilliantly.

Etymology

From Middle English enfeblen, from Old French enfeblir. Constructed like en- + feeble.

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "enfeeble"?
"enfeeble" is spelled E-N-F-E-E-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˈfiːbəl/.
What does "enfeeble" mean?
As a verb, "enfeeble" means: To make feeble.
How do you pronounce "enfeeble"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "enfeeble" is /ɪnˈfiːbəl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "enfeeble"?
From Middle English enfeblen, from Old French enfeblir. Constructed like en- + feeble. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list