frangible
/'frændʤibl/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Easily broken or shattered; fragile: Describes an object or material that is delicate and can be broken, damaged, or destroyed with relative ease. It emphasizes a lack of durability and a susceptibility to fracture.
Usage
- The word "frangible" is a formal or technical adjective, often used in contexts like museum curation, manufacturing, safety engineering, or scientific descriptions. It is less common in everyday conversation than its synonym "fragile."
- It is typically used to describe physical objects. It is not used to describe emotional states or abstract concepts.
Examples
- Adjective:
- The archaeologists handled the frangible pottery shards with extreme care.
- Frangible bullets are designed to disintegrate upon impact to minimize the risk of ricochet.
- The museum stored all frangible articles in locked showcases.
Advanced Usage
- "Frangible structure": A structure intentionally designed to break or yield under specific conditions, often for safety.
- The frangible couplings on the fuel line are designed to break away in a crash to prevent fires.
- "Frangible material": A material characterized by its brittleness and tendency to fracture without significant deformation.
- Glass is a classic example of a frangible material.
Variants and Related Words
- Frangibility (n): The quality or state of being frangible.
- The frangibility of the artifact required special packaging for transport.
Synonyms
- Fragile: Easily broken or damaged. (Most common synonym)
- Brittle: Hard but liable to break or shatter easily.
- Breakable: Capable of being broken (often a more general term).
- Delicate: Very fine or easily damaged.
Antonyms
- Unbreakable: Not able to be broken.
- Durable: Able to withstand wear, pressure, or damage.
- Sturdy: Strongly and solidly built.
- Robust: Strong and healthy; vigorous.
Adjective
- capable of being broken
- the museum stored all frangible articles in locked showcases