embrittlement

[em-brit-l-muh nt]

noun

the act or process of becoming brittle, as steel from exposure to certain environments or heat treatment or because of the presence of impurities.

Origin of embrittlement

First recorded in 1915–20; embrittle + -ment

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018