Fatigability

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The property of experiencing quick exhaustion or tiredness is evident in this quality
2. This characteristic denotes a diminished endurance leading to faster fatigue
3. The capacity to quickly lose energy or become tired upon exertion

Etymology: Fatigability is a formal medical term, not an old word with a long road into English. It is built from "fatigue" plus the suffix "-ability," which turns an adjective ("fatigable," meaning able to be tired) into a noun naming the quality of being easily worn out. "Fatigue" itself came into English from French, ultimately from Latin "fatigare," meaning "to tire out" or "to weary," which is related to "fatigare" in the sense of exhausting or wearing down. The "-ability" ending is an ordinary English suffix, found in words such as "readability" and "variability," and it has been used freely to form nouns from adjectives in English for centuries. Because fatigability describes a measurable tendency rather than a single feeling of tiredness, it is most often used in medicine, physiology, and psychology, especially when discussing muscles or conditions that cause unusual exhaustion.