noun
fragility
fruh-JIL-uh-tee/frəˈdʒɪləti/
The quality of being easily damaged or disrupted.
The fragility of the glass makes careful packing essential.
Etymology
Latin fragilis described something easily broken. English fragility first referred to moral weakness before taking on the physical sense of brittleness or susceptibility to damage.
In context
Cherry blossoms fall within a single week -- can be whisked away on the gentlest breeze -- and it's this that makes it more beautiful. It's utterly fragile, and fragility gives life its poignancy.
More examples
- The drought reveals the fragility of the local ecosystem.
- Their argument exposes the fragility of their new friendship.
- The patient's fragility makes even a minor infection dangerous.
Forms
fragility
fragile adjective — Easily broken, damaged, weakened, or disrupted.
Similar words
- vulnerability
- Emphasizes exposure to harm rather than inherent delicacy or weakness.
- brittleness
- Specifically suggests breaking or snapping rather than bending under pressure.
- frailty
- Usually emphasizes physical weakness, especially in a person's body.