brittle
[ brit-l ]
/ ˈbrɪt l /
adjective, brit·tler, brit·tlest.
noun
a confection of melted sugar, usually with nuts, brittle when cooled: peanut brittle.
verb (used without object), brit·tled, brit·tling.
to be or become brittle; crumble.
Nearby words
Origin of brittle
1350–1400; Middle English britel, equivalent to brit- (akin to Old English brysten fragment) + -el adj. suffix
Related forms
brit·tle·ness, nounun·brit·tle, adjectiveun·brit·tle·ness, nounDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for brittle
British Dictionary definitions for brittle
brittle
/ (ˈbrɪtəl) /
adjective
easily cracked, snapped, or broken; fragile
curt or irritablea brittle reply
hard or sharp in quality
noun
a crunchy sweet made with treacle and nutspeanut brittle
Derived Forms
brittlely or brittly, adverbWord Origin for brittle
C14: from Old English brytel (unattested); related to brytsen fragment, brēotan to break
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Science definitions for brittle
brittle
[ brĭt′l ]
Having a tendency to break when subject to high stress. Brittle materials have undergone very little strain when they reach their elastic limit, and tend to break at that limit. Compare ductile.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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