failure

/ˈfeɪljə/FAYL-yur

/ˈfeɪljɚ/FAYL-yur

Meaningthe result of falling short

Common meaning: a lack of success

failto deceiveLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 721 · scan
urenoun ending: result or process

Journey through time

Proto-Indo-European*spal-‘stumble, to fall’source
Latinfallō, fefellī, falsum‘to deceive’
Frenchfaillir
Englishfail‘to be unsuccessful’
Englishformed in English from failfailure‘a lack of success’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from fail + -ure.

Dictionary: Skeat (1898), FAIL, p.202 · scan

Roots

fallō, fefellī, falsum Latin “to deceive”

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