adjective
friable
FRY-uh-bul/ˈfraɪəbl/
Easily broken into small pieces or powder.
The soil is friable and breaks apart easily in my hands.
Etymology
The pieces describe something that can be crumbled: friable material readily breaks into small fragments or powder, matching the verb’s image of rubbing something away.
In context
any very dirty object requiring extensive cleaning should be given to a professional conservator to treat the same goes for any broken or friable pieces needing repair
More examples
- The friable sandstone crumbles when I rub its surface.
- Workers remove the friable mortar before repairing the brick wall.
- Once dry, the clay becomes friable enough to crush into powder.
Forms
friable
friability noun — The quality of being easily crumbled.
Similar words
- crumbly
- A more everyday word for breaking easily into small pieces.
- brittle
- Emphasizes snapping or shattering rather than crumbling into powder.