vulnerate

Vulnerate is an English verb meaning to wound or injure, and more broadly to render someone or something vulnerable or exposed to harm. In contemporary usage it is rare and often considered archaic; more common verbs for its senses are wound, injure, harm, damage, or render vulnerable.

Etymology and related forms: The term derives from Latin vulnerare, “to wound,” from vulnus, “wound.” The related noun vulnerability and the adjective vulnerable are widely used in modern English, while vulnerate itself is seldom employed outside historical or specialized contexts.

Usage and status: Historically, vulnerate appeared in medical, legal, and military texts to describe physical injury or to indicate rendering a subject more susceptible to harm. In current writing, it is typically avoided except for stylistic or scholarly purposes. Dictionaries often label vulnerate as obsolete or rare. When the intended meaning is “to make vulnerable” or “to expose to risk,” standard alternatives include render vulnerable, expose to danger, or compromise defenses rather than vulnerate.

See also: Vulnerability, vulnerable, vulnerability assessment, wound, injure.

Pronunciation: Typically pronounced as VUL-uh-rate, with the first syllable stressed.