friable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of friable
First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin friābilis, equivalent to friā(re) “to rub, crumble” + -ābilis -able
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Britain is a “defiant but friable little nation floating off the edge of a continent” that itself is “an appendix of Asia.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026
In 1936, the name "Ehlers-Danlos syndrome" was proposed and three cardinal symptoms were identified: joints had to be overly bendy, and skin had to be both stretchy and unusually "friable", meaning it crumbled easily.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2022
“Dawson’s Fall” asks what truth means in an era when conviction matters more, and Roxana Robinson’s answer — that morality is friable — should make us sit up and tremble.
From New York Times ● May 31, 2019
It’s a joy to see them at work in moist, friable soil once the tarp is removed.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 14, 2017
But in the shade of the papaya trees the soil was dark brown, with the moist, friable feel that gardeners seek.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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