# débil
## Asturian
### Etymology

Ultimately from Latin dēbilis.

### Adjective

débil (epicene, plural débiles)
* weak (lacking in force or ability)

#### Related terms

* debilidá

## Galician
### Alternative forms

* deble

### Etymology

From Latin dēbilis.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈdɛbil/ [ˈd̪ɛ.β̞iɫ]
* Rhymes: -ɛbil

### Adjective

débil m or f (plural débiles)
* weak (lacking in force or ability)
    Antonym: forte

#### Derived terms

* debilmente

#### Related terms

* debilidade
* debilitar

### References

* Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “débil”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
* Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “débil”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
* Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “débil”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

### Further reading

* “débil”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025

## Portuguese
### Pronunciation

* (Brazil) IPA: /ˈdɛ.biw/ [ˈdɛ.biʊ̯]
* (Portugal) IPA: /ˈdɛ.bil/ [ˈdɛ.βiɫ]
* Hyphenation: dé‧bil

### Etymology 1

Learned borrowing from Latin dēbilis.

#### Adjective

débil m or f (plural débeis)
* debilitated; weak (lacking in force or ability)
    Synonym: fraco

##### Derived terms

* débil mental
* debilidade
* debilismo
* debilitar
* debiloide

### Etymology 2

Ellipsis of débil mental.

#### Adjective

débil m or f (plural débeis)
* (obsolete, psychology) mentally retarded
** 1928 July 5, “A educação dos debeis e retardados”, in Antônio Carlos Couto de Barros, editor, Diario Nacional, volume I, number 305, São Paulo, page 12, column 2:PORTO ALEGRE, 4 (A. B.) — Acaba de ser fundada nesta capital a Sociedade Pedagogica Pestalozzi, cujo fim é a educação das crianças debeis e retardadas.(please add an English translation of this quotation)
* (informal, derogatory) dumbass

#### Noun

débil m or f by sense (plural débeis)
* (obsolete, psychology) retard
* (informal, derogatory) dumbass
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:idiota
** 2008, Antonio de Macedo Soares, transl., Diário de um Banana (Diary of a Wimpy Kid; 1), Cotia: Vergana & Riba, translation of Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, →ISBN, page 2:Como eu disse, um dia vou ser famoso, mas por enquanto estou preso no ensino fundamental com uma cambada de débeis.[original: Like I said, I'll be famous one day, but for now I'm stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons.]

### Further reading

* “débil”, in iDicionário Aulete (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2025
* “débil”, in Dicio – Dicionário Online de Português (in Portuguese), Porto: 7Graus, 2009–2025
* “débil”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025
* “débil”, in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2025
* “débil”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2025

## Spanish
### Etymology

Probably borrowed from Latin dēbilis (“lame”). Compare endeble.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈdebil/ [ˈd̪e.β̞il]
* Audio (Mexico):(file)
* Audio (Colombia):(file)
* Rhymes: -ebil
* Syllabification: dé‧bil

### Adjective

débil m or f (masculine and feminine plural débiles)
* weak
    Synonyms: endeble, escuálido, flojo, frágil, lánguido, tenue
    Antonym: fuerte

#### Derived terms

* debilísimo
* débilmente
* debilucho
* eslabón más débil
* interacción débil
* interacción nuclear débil
* punto débil
* sexo débil

#### Related terms

* debilidad
* debilitar
* endeble

#### Descendants

* Chavacano: debil

### Further reading

* “débil”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10