infirmat

Infirmat is a form that appears in Latin texts and is sometimes discussed in relation to Romance-language etymology. In English-language reference works, infirmat does not have a standalone modern definition; it is typically encountered as a Latin verb form within quotations or linguistic analyses.

Linguistic origins and meaning: In Latin, infirmat is the third-person singular present indicative active form of the verb infirmare, meaning to weaken, make infirm, or debilitate. The root is related to infirmus, meaning weak. As a result, infirmat translates roughly as “he/she/it weakens” or “is weakening” in appropriate contexts.

Usage in Latin: The form is used in classical and medieval Latin to describe acts of weakening or diminishing strength, whether physical, moral, or figurative. In textual practice, it can occur in sentences that discuss reducing capability, undermining a condition, or making something less strong. Because Latin morphology requires agreement with its subject, infirmat carries the information about who is performing the action.

Modern context and cognates: Outside Latin, infirmat does not function as an independent term in standard English. In discussions of Latin grammar or in translations of Latin passages, it may appear as part of a quoted sentence. Cognates in Romance languages derive from the same root and retain related meanings about weakening, debilitation, or the notion of negating strength, though exact senses vary by language.

Related concepts: infirmus (weak), infirmare (to weaken), and the broader family of terms connected to strength and weakness in Latin and its descendants.