broken down or worn out by old age, illness, or long use
Origin of decrepit
Middle English and Old French from Classical Latin decrepitus from de-, intensive + crepitus, past participle of crepare, to creak, rattle (in LL, to burst, die): see craven
adjective
The definition of decrepit is broken down by age, illness or hard use.
An example of something decrepit is an old, abandoned house with shingles and paint that are falling off.
YourDictionary definition and usage example. Copyright © 2018 by LoveToKnow Corp
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"decrepit." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/DEcrepit>.
APA Style
decrepit. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/DEcrepit
decrepit
Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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MLA Style
"decrepit." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/DEcrepit>.
APA Style
decrepit. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/DEcrepit
decrepit
adjective
Weakened, worn out, impaired, or broken down by old age, illness, or hard use. See Synonyms at weak.
Origin of decrepit
Middle English from Old French from Latin dēcrepitus worn out, feeble dē- de- crepitus past participle of crepāre to burst, crackRelated Forms:
- de·crep′it·ly
adverb
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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MLA Style
"decrepit." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/DEcrepit>.
APA Style
decrepit. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/DEcrepit
Adjective
(comparative more decrepit, superlative most decrepit)
- Weakened or worn out from age or wear
Origin
From Middle French décrépit, from Latin decrepitus (“very old”), from crepare (“to creak”).
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
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Cite this page
MLA Style
"decrepit." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 17 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/DEcrepit>.
APA Style
decrepit. (n.d.). Retrieved February 17th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/DEcrepit
Sentence Examples
- She opened her eyes and looked around, not recognizing the decrepit factory.
- The decrepit King Charles II.
- The provincial schools, dependent upon so decrepit an alma mater, were suffered to decay.
- After a year's service in Congress in 1782-1783, in which he experienced the futility of endeavouring to attain through that decrepit body the ends he sought, he settled down to legal practice in New York.
- Edward, though only in his fifty-seventh year, was entering into a premature and decrepit old age, in which he became the prey of unworthy favorites, male and female.
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