fragment

B1 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈfɹæɡmənt/ See IPA manual

Freq #12370

Meanings

1

noun
A small piece broken off from something larger.

She found a fragment of rock on the beach.
2

noun
A small, incomplete part of something.

I could only remember fragments of the dream.
3

verb
To break into pieces, or to cause something to break apart.

The plate fragmented when it hit the floor.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a small piece broken off... bit chip chunk shard

3 verb · to break into pieces, or to... break up fragmentize

Opposites

defragment

Word family

Forms fragmentedfragmentingfragments

Derived forms defragmentationdefragmenterfragletfragmentablefragmentalfragmentary fragmentationfragmentectomyfragmentismfragmentistfragmentizationfragmentography

Related forms fractalfraction fractious fracture infract infraction refract refraction refractive refractoryrefrangiblerefringent

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

restriction fragment
a piece of DNA produced by cutting it with a restriction enzyme

Noun + noun

Etymology

From Late Middle English fragment, from Latin fragmentum (“a fragment, remnant”), from frangō (“to break”) + -mentum.

*bʰreg- Proto-Indo-European fragment Middle English fragmentum Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# fragment

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈfɹæɡmənt/
**Frequency rank:** 12370

## Meanings
1. A small piece broken off from something larger.
2. A small, incomplete part of something.
3. To break into pieces, or to cause something to break apart.

## Examples
- She found a fragment of rock on the beach.
- I could only remember fragments of the dream.
- The plate fragmented when it hit the floor.

## Synonyms
- fragmentize

## Antonyms
- defragment

## Derived Forms
- defragmentation
- defragmenter
- fraglet
- fragmentable
- fragmental
- fragmentary
- fragmentation
- fragmentectomy
- fragmentism
- fragmentist
- fragmentization
- fragmentography

## Related Forms
- fractal
- fraction
- fractious
- fracture
- infract
- infraction
- refract
- refraction
- refractive
- refractory
- refrangible
- refringent

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *bʰreg-
- Root: fragment
- Root: fragmentum

## Etymology
From Late Middle English fragment, from Latin fragmentum (“a fragment, remnant”), from frangō (“to break”) + -mentum.

## AI Etymology
Fragment comes from Late Middle English fragment, from Latin fragmentum (“a fragment, remnant”), from frangō (“to break”) + -mentum. In current use, the main senses are “A small piece broken off from something larger” and “A small, incomplete part of something”.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

markdown