impuissance

English

Etymology

From Middle French impuissance.

Noun

impuissance (usually uncountable, plural impuissances)

Impotence, weakness.
- 1603, John Florio, transl.; Michel de Montaigne, The Essayes, […], printed at London: […] Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821:
  , II.8:
  This fault, for a man not to be able to know himselfe betimes, and not to feele the impuissance and extreme alteration, that age doth naturally bring, […] hath lost the reputation of the most part of the greatest men in the world.
- Philemon Holland (1552-1637)
  Their own impuissance and weakness.

French

Etymology

From in- +‎ puissance (or possibly from impuissant +‎ -ance).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɛ̃.pɥi.sɑ̃s/
Rhymes: -ɑ̃s

Noun

impuissance f (plural impuissances)

Further reading

“impuissance” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

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