/ ˈvʌlnərəbl; NAmE / adjective
vulnerable (to sb/sth) weak and easily hurt physically or emotionally :
to be vulnerable to attack
She looked very vulnerable standing there on her own.
In cases of food poisoning, young children are especially vulnerable.
The sudden resignation of the financial director put the company in a very vulnerable position .
► vul·ner·abil·ity / ˌvʌlnərəˈbɪləti; NAmE / noun [ U ] vulnerability (of sb/sth) (to sth) :
financial vulnerability
the vulnerability of newborn babies to disease
► vul·ner·ably / -əbli; NAmE / adverb
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WORD ORIGIN
early 17th cent.: from late Latin vulnerabilis , from Latin vulnerare to wound, from vulnus wound.