brisance
- noun
- /ˈbrɪzəns/
- Specialized
- The brisance of the blast shattered all nearby windows within seconds.
Examples
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The brisance of the compound made it ideal for demolition purposes.
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Researchers measured the brisance of several new explosive materials in the laboratory.
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The brisance of the bomb was devastating.
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Did you know that brisance can vary between explosives?
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The brisance of the explosion was so intense that it could be felt miles away.
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Engineers analyzed the brisance of different explosives to determine their effectiveness in controlled demolitions.
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By assessing the brisance of various materials, researchers can improve safety measures in construction.
How Shattering
- Specialized
70
6.7
- Specialized
676
2.8
- Specialized
1
9.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
brisance = bris + ance
The element 'bris' is not a recognisable English base (the word is a borrowing from French), so learners cannot reliably infer the meaning from the parts despite the productive English suffix '-ance'.
Etymology
The word brisance comes from the French verb briser, which means 'to break' and is like the English word 'break'. So brisance is the 'breaking' power of an explosion, or how quickly it shatters or crushes things.