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vulnerable

 - 4 dictionary results

vul⋅ner⋅a⋅ble

  [vuhl-ner-uh-buhl]
Use vulnerable in a Sentence
–adjective
1. capable of or susceptible to being wounded or hurt, as by a weapon: a vulnerable part of the body.
2. open to moral attack, criticism, temptation, etc.: an argument vulnerable to refutation; He is vulnerable to bribery.
3. (of a place) open to assault; difficult to defend: a vulnerable bridge.
4. Bridge. having won one of the games of a rubber.
Origin:
1595–1605; < LL vulnerābilis, equiv. to L vulnerā(re) to wound + -bilis -ble; see vulnerary

Related forms:
vul⋅ner⋅a⋅bil⋅i⋅ty, vul⋅ner⋅a⋅ble⋅ness, noun
vul⋅ner⋅a⋅bly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To vulnerable
vul·ner·a·ble   (vŭl'nər-ə-bəl)   
adj.  

    1. Susceptible to physical or emotional injury.

    2. Susceptible to attack: "We are vulnerable both by water and land, without either fleet or army" (Alexander Hamilton).

    3. Open to censure or criticism; assailable.

    4. Liable to succumb, as to persuasion or temptation.

    5. Games In a position to receive greater penalties or bonuses in a hand of bridge. In a rubber, used of the pair of players who score 100 points toward game.

    1. Liable to succumb, as to persuasion or temptation.

    2. Games In a position to receive greater penalties or bonuses in a hand of bridge. In a rubber, used of the pair of players who score 100 points toward game.


[Late Latin vulnerābilis, wounding, from Latin vulnerāre, to wound, from vulnus, vulner-, wound; see welə- in Indo-European roots.]
vul'ner·a·bil'i·ty, vul'ner·a·ble·ness n., vul'ner·a·bly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

vulnerable 
1605, from L.L. vulnerabilis "wounding," from L. vulnerare "to wound," from vulnus (gen. vulneris) "wound," perhaps related to vellere "pluck, to tear."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: vul·ner·a·ble
Pronunciation: 'v&ln-(&-)r&-b&l, 'v&l-n&r-b&l
Function: adjective
: capable ofbeing hurt : susceptible to injury or disease vulnerable to nutritional impairment —Journal of the American Medical Association> —vul·ner·a·bil·i·ty /"v&ln-(&-)r&-'bil-&t-E/ noun plural -ties
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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