nonvigorous

Nonvigorous is an adjective used to describe someone or something that lacks vigor, vitality, or robustness. In everyday usage, it can refer to physical energy, growth, or activity that is weaker than typical or expected. The term is formed by combining non- with vigorous, the latter derived from Latin vigor, meaning active energy or force.

In botany and horticulture, nonvigorous describes plants that grow slowly or with reduced vigor compared with typical specimens of the same species and age. Nonvigorous plants may exhibit short internodes, small or pale leaves, weak stems, delayed flowering, or poor root development. Causes include inadequate light, insufficient nutrients, water stress, pest or disease pressure, or adverse environmental conditions. In propagation and cultivation, nonvigorous seedling stock is associated with reduced establishment success and lower transplant survival, and management often aims to improve vigor through optimized nutrition, irrigation, and light exposure.

In medical or clinical English, nonvigorous is less common as a formal descriptor but may appear in historical or descriptive texts to indicate low vitality or debility. It is not a precise clinical term; contemporary language typically distinguishes categories such as frail, weak, fatigued, or deconditioned, depending on context. The term can also be used in ecology or population biology to indicate low growth or reproductive vigor in a group.

Etymology: built from the prefix non- and the adjective vigorous, which traces to Latin vigor, meaning liveliness or force.