English Online Dictionary. What means vulnerable? What does vulnerable mean?
English
Etymology
From Late Latin vulnerābilis (“injurious, wounding”), from Latin vulnerō (“I wound”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈvʌln(ə)ɹəbl̩/
- (proscribed) IPA(key): /ˈvʌn(ə)ɹəbl̩/
- Hyphenation: vul‧ner‧a‧ble
Adjective
vulnerable (comparative more vulnerable, superlative most vulnerable)
- More or most likely to be exposed to the chance of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.
- Open to disclosing one's inner thoughts and feelings, acting in spite of one's instinct to self-preservation.
- (computing) More likely to be exposed to malicious programs or viruses.
- (of a language or species) at moderate risk of extinction though not quite endangered.
Synonyms
- (exposed to attack): defenceless, helpless, powerless, unguarded, unprotected, weak
Antonyms
- (antonym(s) of “exposed to attack”): durable, indomitable, invincible, invulnerable, powerful, strong
Derived terms
- vulnerability
- vulnerably
Translations
Catalan
Etymology
From Late Latin vulnerābilis.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): (Central) [bul.nəˈɾab.blə]
- IPA(key): (Balearic) [vul.nəˈɾab.blə]
- IPA(key): (Valencian) [vul.neˈɾa.ble]
Adjective
vulnerable m or f (masculine and feminine plural vulnerables)
- vulnerable
- Antonym: invulnerable
Related terms
- vulnerabilitat
- vulnerar
Further reading
- “vulnerable” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
Galician
Alternative forms
- vulnerábel
Etymology
From Late Latin vulnerābilis, from Latin vulnerō (“I wound”).
Adjective
vulnerable m or f (plural vulnerables)
- vulnerable
Related terms
- vulnerabilidade
- vulnerar
Further reading
- “vulnerable”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, since 2012
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from Late Latin vulnerābilis, from Latin vulnerō (“to wound”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /bulneˈɾable/ [bul.neˈɾa.β̞le]
- Rhymes: -able
- Syllabification: vul‧ne‧ra‧ble
Adjective
vulnerable m or f (masculine and feminine plural vulnerables)
- vulnerable
Related terms
Further reading
- “vulnerable”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014