debilidad
“debilidad” means “weakness” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
weakness
Also: frailty, flaw
📝 In Action
Después de la operación, sentía una gran debilidad en todo el cuerpo.
A2After the operation, he felt great weakness throughout his whole body.
La debilidad de su plan era que no tenían suficiente dinero.
B1The weakness (or flaw) of their plan was that they didn't have enough money.
Ella reconoció la debilidad de su carácter: era demasiado orgullosa.
B2She recognized the weakness of her character: she was too proud.
fondness, soft spot
Also: guilty pleasure
📝 In Action
Mi única debilidad son los helados de vainilla.
B2My only weakness (or soft spot) is vanilla ice cream.
El director tiene una debilidad por los estudiantes que trabajan duro.
C1The principal has a soft spot for students who work hard.
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "debilidad" in Spanish:
flaw→fondness→frailty→guilty pleasure→soft spot→weakness→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: debilidad
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'debilidad' to mean 'a special fondness'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes directly from the Latin word *debilitas*, which meant 'feebleness' or 'infirmity'. It is built on the root *debilis*, meaning 'weak'.
First recorded: Medieval Spanish
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'debilidad' and 'flaqueza'?
Both words mean 'weakness' and are often interchangeable. However, 'flaqueza' (which also means 'faintness') is sometimes used specifically to refer to moral or spiritual weaknesses, while 'debilidad' is more common for physical or general shortcomings.