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friable

friable

2 8.9
Easily broken into small pieces or powder
  • adjective
  • /ˈfraɪəbl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : friable
  • Friable asbestos products should immediately be repaired or removed to prevent a release.
  • friable tissue
  • friable mass
  • friable and granular

So without it, these tissues can become very thin, very friable, not stretchy.

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Examples

  • Typical findings include dry, friable mucosa with granulomas.

    Academic text (2008)
  • The nasal mucosa is usually pale, friable, and granular and is often accompanied by purulence or crusting.

    Academic text (2001)
  • One needs to water the soil beforehand for it to become friable.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • So without it, these tissues can become very thin, very friable, not stretchy.

    ZOE
  • "The land is excellent alluvial silt, friable, and easy to work, moist or dry.

    Academic text (1996)
  • Many African objects have friable pigments that are poorly bound to the substrates.

    Academic text (2009)
  • On nasal endoscopy, a friable mass was observed at the inferior meatus.

    Academic text (2010)
  • The lungs and kidneys were edematous, swollen, and congested, while the liver was friable and pale to yellowish in appearance.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Clinical examination reveals the presence of friable, granular tissue filling the anterior nasal cavity as well as the associated purulent discharge.

    Academic text (2001)
  • The gardener prefers using a friable soil mix to ensure healthy plant growth.

Synonyms

crumbly
vsfriable
7 3.0

Easily breaks into small pieces when touched

breaks into very fine powder rather than larger fragments
frangible
vsfriable
1 9.9

Easily broken or damaged

breaks into fine powder rather than larger pieces

Antonyms

325 1.0

Firm and hard so it keeps its shape, not liquid

1 3.7

A product made to last many years, like a fridge or washing machine

How Fragile

powdery
4 3.0
friable
  • Specialized
2 8.9
crumbly
7 3.0
brittle
31 3.9
solid
325 1.0

Surface Forms

friable positive

Morphology

friable = fri + able

Although formed with the productive suffix '-able', the root 'fri' is not a standalone English word and is not transparent to average learners, so the meaning cannot be reliably derived from its parts.

Etymology

Friable comes from an old Latin word friabilis, which means 'easily crumbled', so it helps to imagine something turning to crumbs in your hand; a friable object breaks apart or turns to powder very easily.