different between fractional vs fragile

English

Etymology

From fraction +? -al.

Pronunciation

• enPR: fr?k?sh?n?l, IPA^(key): /?f?æk.??n.?l/

Adjective

fractional (comparative more fractional, superlative most fractional)

1. Pertaining to a fraction.
2. Divided; fragmentary; incomplete.
3. Very small; minute.
   • 1987, Bill Knox, A Flight from Paris (page 93)

     The two women exchanged a glance, then a fractional nod of agreement.

4. (chemistry) Relating to a process or product of fractional distillation.

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

fractional (plural fractionals)

1. (grammar) An expression of a fractional number.

   In English, most ordinals double as fractionals — "third", "fourth", and so on — with the exception of "second", whose corresponding fractional is "half".

2. Partial ownership of a property, such as real estate or a chartered airplane, such that each partial owner has use of the property for only a portion of the time.

   A fractional is much more expensive than a traditional timeshare, but to many people, it's worth it.

3. (chemistry) Relating to a fraction in a material distillation or separation process.

Anagrams

• intrafocal

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French fragile, from Latin fragilis, formed on frag-, the root of frangere (“to break”). Cognate fraction, fracture and doublet of frail.

Pronunciation

• (UK, General Australian, Canada) IPA^(key): /?f?æd?a?l/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?f?æd??l/
• Rhymes: -æd??l

Adjective

fragile (comparative fragiler or more fragile, superlative fragilest or most fragile)

1. Easily broken or destroyed, and thus often of subtle or intricate structure.

   The chemist synthesizes a fragile molecule.

   The UN tries to maintain the fragile peace process in the region.

   He is a very fragile person and gets easily depressed.

2. (Britain) Feeling weak or easily disturbed as a result of illness.

Synonyms

• friable
• breakly
• breakable
• destroyable
• destructible
• See also Thesaurus:fragile

Antonyms

• durable
• unbreakable
• undestroyable
• indestructible
• antifragile

Derived terms

• fragilely

Related terms

• fractal
• fraction
• fractional
• fracture
• fragility
• frail
• frailty
• frangible

Translations

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin fragilis. Doublet of frêle.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /f?a.?il/
• Homophone: fragiles

Adjective

fragile (plural fragiles)

1. fragile

Related terms

• fragiliser
• fragilité

Further reading

• “fragile” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• giflera

German

Adjective

fragile

1. inflection of fragil:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Italian

Etymology

From Latin fragilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?fra.d??i.le/
• Hyphenation: frà?gi?le

Adjective

fragile (plural fragili)

1. fragile

Derived terms

• fragilmente
• infragilire

Related terms

• frale
• fragilità

Further reading

• fragile in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Latin

Adjective

fragile

1. nominative neuter singular of fragilis
2. accusative neuter singular of fragilis
3. vocative neuter singular of fragilis