Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » frail

frail

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

The definition of frail is physically weak, fragile or delicate.

(adjective)

An example of someone frail is a sickly old woman with brittle bones.

See frail in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

easily broken, shattered, damaged, or destroyed; fragile; delicate
slender and delicate; not robust; weak
easily tempted to do wrong; morally weak

Origin: ME frele < OFr < L fragilis, fragile

Related Forms:

frailly adverb
frailness noun

noun

a basket made of rushes, for packing figs, raisins, etc.

Origin: ME fraiel < OFr frael, rush basket < ML fraellum < L flagellum, young branch, whip: see flagellum

See frail in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective frail·er, frail·est

Physically weak; delicate: an invalid's frail body.
Not strong or substantial; slight: evidence too frail to stand up in court.
Easily broken or destroyed; fragile.
Easily led astray; morally weak. See Synonyms at weak.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English frele

Origin: , from Old French

Origin: , from Latin fragilis

Origin: , from frangere, frag-, to break; see bhreg- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

frailˈly adverb

frailˈness noun

noun

A rush basket for holding fruit, especially dried fruit.
The quantity of fruit, such as raisins or figs, that such a basket can hold.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English fraiel

Origin: , from Old French

Learn more about frail

frail synonyms

frail in a sentence

link/cite print suggestion box

More from YD

» more results...