Enervous

/ɪˈnɜːvəs/ adjective

Definition

Lacking nerve, strength, or courage; weak and feeble.

Etymology

From 'enerve' plus the adjective suffix -ous, meaning 'full of' or 'characterized by.' The root returns to Latin nervus and the concept of lost vital force.

Kelly Says

The opposite of 'nervous' in the modern sense—while 'nervous' today means anxious or jumpy, 'enervous' means you've lost your nerve entirely, suggesting a complete draining of vitality.

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