friable

fragile, frangible, brittle, crisp, friable mean breaking easily. fragile implies extreme delicacy of material or construction and need for careful handling.

• • a fragile antique chair

frangible implies susceptibility to being broken without implying weakness or delicacy.

• • frangible stone used for paving

brittle implies hardness together with lack of elasticity or flexibility or toughness.

• • brittle bones

crisp implies a firmness and brittleness desirable especially in some foods.

• • crisp lettuce

friable applies to substances that are easily crumbled or pulverized.

• • friable soil