impairment

• empairment (rare)

From Middle English empeirement, empeyrement, emparement, from Anglo-Norman empairement, emperement, enpeirement, from Old French ampirement, anpirement, enperement, equivalent to impair +‎ -ment.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪmˈpɛəmənt/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /ɪmˈpɛɹmənt/

  • Audio (Austin, Texas):

    (file)

• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ɪmˈpeːmənt/

impairment (countable and uncountable, plural impairments)

1. The result of being impaired
2. A deterioration or weakening
   • 2024, NTSB, Intersection Crash Between Passenger Car and Combination Vehicle, Tishomingo, Oklahoma, March 22, 2022:

     We determined that the car driver’s transportation of multiple teen passengers, limited driving experience, and likely impairment from effects of cannabis at the time of the crash adversely affected her judgment of the danger of entering the intersection in front of the approaching combination vehicle.

3. A disability or handicap

   visual impairment

4. an inefficient part or factor.
5. (accounting) A downward revaluation, a write-down.