breakage

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the act or result of breaking something, especially accidental damage

   The breakage of the water pitcher startled everyone in the room.

2. 2
   noun

   an item that has been broken, or the amount of goods damaged

   The shop recorded two breakages after the glassware delivery.

Formed from break + -age. Break descends through Middle English breken from Old English brecan, while -age entered English through French and forms nouns denoting an action, result, or associated quantity. Breakage has named both the act of breaking and the resulting loss since the eighteenth century.

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