"state or condition of being weak or feeble, lack of strength or vigor," early 15c., from Old French debilite (Modern French débilité) or directly from Latin debilitatem (nominative debilitas) "a laming, crippling, weakening," from debilis "lame, disabled, crippled," figuratively "weak, helpless," from de "from, away" (see de-) + -bilis "strength," from PIE root *bel- "strong" (see Bolshevik).
