friable

== English == === Etymology === Borrowed from French friable, from Latin friābilis (“friable”), from friō (“I crumble”). === Pronunciation === enPR: frī'ə-bəl, IPA(key): /ˈfɹaɪəbl̩/ Rhymes: -aɪəbəl Homophone: fryable === Adjective === friable (comparative more friable, superlative most friable) Easily broken into small fragments, crumbled, or reduced to powder. (geology) Of soil, loose and large-grained in consistency. (toxicology) Of a poison, likely to crumble and become airborne, thus becoming a health risk. (mathematics) Of a number: smooth, that factors completely into small prime numbers. ==== Synonyms ==== (easily broken into small fragments): crumbly ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== brittle === References === William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “friable”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC. “friable”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. === Anagrams === fabrile, firable, lifebar == Catalan == === Etymology === Latin friābilis, from friō (“to crumble”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): (Central, Balearic) [fɾiˈab.blə] IPA(key): (Valencia) [fɾiˈa.ble] === Adjective === friable m or f (masculine and feminine plural friables) friable, crumbly ==== Related terms ==== friabilitat === Further reading === “friable”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2026 == French == === Etymology === Inherited from Latin friābilis, from friō (“to crumble”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /fʁi.jabl/ Homophone: friables Hyphenation: fri‧able === Adjective === friable (plural friables) crumbly crummy, pitiful ==== Derived terms ==== friabilité === Further reading === “friable”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Spanish == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈfɾjable/ [ˈfɾja.β̞le] Rhymes: -able Syllabification: fria‧ble === Adjective === friable m or f (masculine and feminine plural friables) friable, crumbly ==== Derived terms ==== === Further reading === “friable”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025