Vulnerability

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌvʌln(ə)ɹəˈbɪlɪti/

Definitions

1. A state of being exposed to potential harm, attack, or emotional damage due to weakness or lack of protection
2. A state of being exposed to potential harm, attack, or emotional injury due to lacking adequate protection or defenses
3. A condition characterized by the susceptibility to injury, harm, or emotional distress resulting from insufficient defenses or protective measures

Etymology: "Vulnerability" is a straightforward formation: the adjective "vulnerable" with the suffix "-ity" added. "Vulnerable" comes from the Latin "vulnerabilis," meaning "able to be wounded," built from "vulnus" ("wound") plus the suffix "-abilis" ("able to be"). The core idea is therefore physical: something that could be hurt by a blow or a cut. The "-ity" ending, borrowed from Latin "-itas" through French, turns an adjective into a noun meaning the state or quality of being that adjective. So "vulnerability" names the condition of being open to harm, whether the harm is literal or not. The noun's meaning has widened from the wound itself to any exposure to attack, risk or criticism, which is why the word now describes everything from a fortress's weak walls to a person's emotional openness.

Synonyms: susceptibility, weakness, exposure, sensitivity, liability

Antonyms: strength, immunity, resilience, protection, safety