fragile
adjectivenouncommon in dialogue
- United States//ˈfɹæd͡ʒəl//
- Australia//ˈfɹæd͡ʒaɪl//
Easily broken, not sturdy; of delicate material.
adjective
- 1
Easily broken, not sturdy; of delicate material.
She caught the fragile vase before it could shatter on the floor.
The chemist synthesizes a fragile molecule.
- 2
figurativeReadily disrupted or destroyed.
The UN tries to maintain the fragile peace process in the region.
- 3
Feeling weak or easily disturbed as a result of illness.
- 4
Thin-skinned or oversensitive.
He is a very fragile person and gets easily depressed.
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French fragile, from Latin fragilis, formed on frag-, the root of frangere (“to break”). Cognate with fraction, fracture and doublet of frail.
noun
- 1
Something that is fragile.
Forms
- plural
- fragiles
- comparative
- fragiler, more fragile
- superlative
- fragilest, most fragile
Fraction · A surname.fracture · An instance of breaking, a place where something has broken.fractured · Broken into sharp pieces.
fragile · Easily broken, not sturdy; of delicate material.
fragment · A part broken off; a small, detached portion; an imperfect…fragrance · A pleasant smell or odour.fragrant · Sweet-smelling; having a pleasant (usually strong) scent or…