impairment
UK /ɪmˈpɛəmənt/ · US /ɪmˈpɛɹmənt/ noun
Forms impairments empairment
- noun The result of being impaired.
- noun A deterioration or weakening.
- noun (medical model of disability) A disability or handicap. “visual impairment”
- noun (social model of disability) A loss or absence of baseline human functioning that may lead to a disability.
- noun An inefficient part or factor.
- noun (accounting) A downward revaluation, a write-down.
Synonyms
damage harm deterioration disability disablement handicap stultification constipation deadening
Etymology
From Middle English empeirement, empeyrement, emparement, from Anglo-Norman empairement, emperement, enpeirement, from Old French ampirement, anpirement, enperement, equivalent to impair + -ment.
Webster’s 1913
Etymology [OE. enpeirement, OF. empirement.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “impairment”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details