Agency Dictionary
Fragile
adjectivePronunciation: /ˈfrædʒ.aɪl/
In Portuguese: Frágil
Psychology & MindWhat does “Fragile” mean?
Easily broken, damaged, or disrupted, requiring delicate handling and protective consideration.
Etymology
From Middle French fragile, from Latin fragilis, "easily broken", built on frag-, the root of frangere, "to break". Fraction, fracture and fragment come from the same Latin verb. Frail is the same Latin word in an older, more worn shape, so English has two descendants of fragilis: frail, mostly of people and health, and fragile, of objects and of anything easily damaged or upset.
Usage note
British English says the second syllable like "isle"; American English reduces it. Frail is preferred for a weak person; fragile for a thing, a state or a peace that could break.
Synonyms
- delicate
- brittle
- breakable
- frail
- flimsy
- vulnerable
Often confused with
- frail
- Frail describes a body or a person with little strength; fragile describes what breaks or is disturbed easily.
Word family
- fragility
- fragilely
- frail
- frailty
Rhymes with
- agile
Usage examples
everything that is shallow can’t sustain itself for being fragile
Issue.12 - Semiotics Not because Godspeed pointed out that everything that is shallow can’t sustain itself for being fragile.
Concept
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
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