English vocabulary · B2
Frail
/freɪl/ · adj.
It means physically weak and easily hurt. A frail person looks like they could break with one small push.
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Example sentences
- The old man was too frail to walk alone.
- Her frail hands shook as she held the cup.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- frag — break (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- WEAK — not having much strength (General & Everyday)
- DELICATE — easily damaged or hurt (Gentle & Refined)
- FRAGILE — breaks or hurts easily (Objects & Emotions)
Words with the same root
frag — break
- fragile — easily broken or damaged
- fracture — a break in a bone or object
- fragment — a small broken piece
Lesson notes
Frail. It means physically weak and easily hurt. A frail person looks like they could break with one small push.
Similar words are weak, delicate, and fragile. Use frail when a person's body is thin and easy to hurt.
The old man was too frail to walk alone. Her frail hands shook as she held the cup.
From Latin. frag- means break. Something that can break easily — that is frail.