fragmentation

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˌfɹæɡmənˈtæɪt͡ʃən/ UK /ˌfɹæɡmənˈteɪt͡ʃən/ See IPA manual

Freq #49279

Meanings

1

noun
The act of breaking something into small, separate pieces, or the state of being broken up.

The political fragmentation of the country made it hard to form a government.
2

noun
In computing, the condition of a file being stored in scattered pieces across a disk, which slows performance.

Fragmentation slows the computer down because it takes longer to find all the parts of a file.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

fragmentization

Opposites

defragmentation

Word family

Forms fragmentations

Derived forms antifragmentationautofragmentationbiofragmentationhyperfragmentationmultifragmentationoverfragmentationphacofragmentationphotofragmentationpolyfragmentationrefragmentation

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

fragmentation bomb
a bomb designed to scatter fragments when it explodes

Noun + noun

Etymology

From fragment + -ation.

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# fragmentation

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌfɹæɡmənˈtæɪt͡ʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌfɹæɡmənˈteɪt͡ʃən/
**Frequency rank:** 49279

## Meanings
1. The act of breaking something into small, separate pieces, or the state of being broken up.
2. In computing, the condition of a file being stored in scattered pieces across a disk, which slows performance.

## Examples
- The political fragmentation of the country made it hard to form a government.
- Fragmentation slows the computer down because it takes longer to find all the parts of a file.

## Synonyms
- fragmentization

## Antonyms
- defragmentation

## Derived Forms
- antifragmentation
- autofragmentation
- biofragmentation
- hyperfragmentation
- multifragmentation
- overfragmentation
- phacofragmentation
- photofragmentation
- polyfragmentation
- refragmentation

## Etymology
From fragment + -ation.

## AI Etymology
Fragmentation is from fragment + -ation. In present-day use, it can mean the act of breaking something into small, separate pieces, or the state of being broken up, or in computing, the condition of a file being stored in scattered pieces across a disk, which slows performance. Derived formations include antifragmentation, autofragmentation, biofragmentation, hyperfragmentation, and multifragmentation.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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