fragility

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /frəˈdʒɪlɪti/ UK /frəˈdʒɪlɪti/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the quality of being easily broken or delicate

The fragility of the old manuscript demanded careful handling.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the quality of being easily... delicacy frailty brittleness weakness fragileness tenderness

Opposites

sturdinessrobustnessdurability strength toughness

Word family

Related forms fragile frail frangible fracture

Etymology

From Latin fragilitas ('brittleness'), from fragilis ('easily broken'), from frangere ('to break'), via Old French fragilité.

fragilitÄs Latin frangere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# fragility

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /frəˈdʒɪlɪti/
**IPA (UK):** /frəˈdʒɪlɪti/

## Meanings
1. the quality of being easily broken or delicate

## Examples
- The fragility of the old manuscript demanded careful handling.

## Synonyms
- delicacy
- frailty
- brittleness
- weakness
- fragileness
- tenderness

## Antonyms
- sturdiness
- robustness
- durability
- strength
- toughness

## Related Forms
- fragile
- frail
- frangible
- fracture

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: fragilitÄs
- Root: frangere

## Etymology
From Latin fragilitas ('brittleness'), from fragilis ('easily broken'), from frangere ('to break'), via Old French fragilité.

## AI Etymology
Fragility comes from Latin fragilitas ('brittleness'), from fragilis ('easily broken'), from frangere ('to break'), via Old French fragilité. The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As a noun, it denotes "the quality of being easily broken or delicate", keeping the historical idea close to its dictionary sense. Relevant historical forms include Latin fragilitÄs and Latin frangere. Related words include fragile, frail, frangible, fracture.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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