Hello,
One of the hardest things with writing this blog is finding a photo to illustrate the word I’m writing about each week. Due to concerns about copyright I do my utmost to only use my own images and sometimes words can be hard to match to a visual. Decrepit was one of these. I’m not ready to use a photo of myself for decrepit just yet and my husband wasn’t keen on his beard from Covid-lockdown times being used either. Can’t imagine why – it was of Viking proportions and I loved it. Thankfully the Vatican museum came to my rescue.
What does decrepit mean exactly and when did we find it in the English dictionary? It is defined as “broken down in health, weakened, especially by age” and joined the language in the mid 1400s. Now I’d dispute that definition a little as I absolutely think somebody can be decrepit in earlier years and I’d also use it to describe a derelict house, or an old wooden boat rotting on the foreshore, but you get the general idea I hope.
The word came from Old French (same spelling) and you’ll still find it in Modern French as décrépit. As with many French words it came from Latin. Decrepitus was used to describe elderly men and animals so I guess I don’t have to worry about becoming decrepit as it’s a male affliction! The word was formed from de (down) and crepitus. Crepitus is the past participle of the verb crepare (to crack or break). Certainly not all elders are broken or cracked but that’s where we get decrepit. I think I’ll use it more sparingly now that I know its Roman roots.
Until next time happy reading, writing, and wordfooling,
Grace (@Wordfoolery)
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