Definition

1. 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

1. capable of being broken
   • the museum stored all frangible articles in locked showcases