impuissance

From Middle French impuissance.

impuissance (usually uncountable, plural impuissances)

1. Impotence, weakness.
   • 1603, John Florio, transl.; Michel de Montaigne, chapter 8, in The Essayes, […], book II, printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821:

     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.

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

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̃.pɥi.sɑ̃s/
• Rhymes: -ɑ̃s

impuissance f (plural impuissances)

1. impotency, helplessness
2. erectile dysfunction

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