Definition of friable
: easily crumbled or pulverized
- friable soil
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Examples of friable in a Sentence
sand dollars are friable, so handle them carefully
Recent Examples of friable from the Web
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In my brother's case, however, the tumor was infected with a secondary staph infection, causing it to become friable and throw off little blood clots to his extremities.
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In my brother's case, however, the tumor was infected with a secondary staph infection, causing it to become friable and throw off little blood clots to his extremities.
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Masonry » Masonry: polyurethane hardscape adhesive Masonry surfaces are often friable (prone to scaling).
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Masonry » Masonry: polyurethane hardscape adhesive Masonry surfaces are often friable (prone to scaling).
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'friable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When Should You Use friable?
Friable entered into English in the mid-1500s, and was borrowed either from Middle French or directly from Latin friabilis. This Latin adjective comes from the verb "friare," which means "to crumble." "Friare" in turn is related to the verb "fricare" ("to rub"), the source of the English noun "friction." "Friable" is used to describe something that can be easily reduced to a powdered form. In contemporary usage, it is often found in the discussion of asbestos. Health concerns about asbestos primarily center around friable asbestos - that is, asbestos that is easily pulverized into tiny fibers which may remain suspended in the air and become a potential health risk to those who inhale them.
Origin and Etymology of friable
Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin friabilis, from friare to crumble — more at friction
Synonym Discussion of friable
fragile, frangible, brittle, crisp, friable mean breaking easily. fragile implies extreme delicacy of material or construction and need for careful handling.
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- a fragile antique chair
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- frangible stone used for paving
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- brittle bones
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- crisp lettuce
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- friable soil
Other Geology Terms
anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale
FRIABLE Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of friable for English Language Learners
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: easily broken into smaller pieces
Medical Dictionary
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