fragmentary

adjective

frag·​men·​tary ˈfrag-mən-ˌter-ē How to pronounce fragmentary (audio)
: consisting of fragments : incomplete
fragmentary evidence
a fragmentary account
fragmentarily adverb
fragmentariness noun

Examples of fragmentary in a Sentence

discovering fragmentary remains of primitive animals the historical record of this pharaoh's life and reign is fragmentary at best
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Ethiopians have welcomed Abiy’s promises to end the Meles regime’s sometimes heavy-handed repression of political rights, but the country is now wrestling with the fragmentary pressures of ethnic politics that Meles managed to contain. Terrence Lyons, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019 Advertisement Books Pedro Almodóvar’s first book, like his movies, blends reality and fiction: ‘A fragmentary autobiography’ Sept. 16, 2024 As Roberts describes in cringey detail in the book, his fall from grace came a little bit at a time, then all at once. Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2024 But ultimately, this fragmentary evidence is not enough to determine if Ancient Macedonian and Hellenic split from a common, pre-Hellenic source or derived from distinct Indo-European proto-languages. Victor A. Friedman, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2018 Researchers have the genome of the girl, as well as bits of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA from fragmentary fossils—teeth, a toe bone—of seven additional individuals, all also from Denisova Cave. Byann Gibbons, science.org, 11 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for fragmentary 

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fragmentary was in 1611

Dictionary Entries Near fragmentary

Cite this Entry

“Fragmentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fragmentary. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

fragmentary

adjective
frag·​men·​tary ˈfrag-mən-ˌter-ē How to pronounce fragmentary (audio)
: made up of fragments : incomplete
a fragmentary report

More from Merriam-Webster on fragmentary

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