fragmental

American  

[frag-men-tl] / frægˈmɛn tl /

adjective

1. fragmentary.

2. Geology. clastic.

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fragmental British  

/ fræɡˈmɛntəl /

adjective

1. (of rocks or deposits) composed of fragments of pre-existing rocks and minerals

2. another word for fragmentary

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Usage

What does fragmental mean? The adjective fragmental means consisting of or reduced to fragments—pieces that have been broken off of or detached from something else.The adjective fragmentary is more commonly used to mean the same thing.The fossilized remains of a dinosaur might be described as fragmental if they exist in many different pieces, and perhaps some of the pieces are missing.The word fragment is also used to refer to a part or portion of something that is incomplete or isolated from the whole, such as a fragment of a movie or piece of music. Sometimes, fragmental is used to describe things as disjointed, disconnected, or incomplete. This sense of the word is most commonly used to describe intangible or abstract things, as in fragmental evidence or a fragmental proposal.  The adjective fragmented describes things that have been broken into fragments or things that are or have been disorganized or disunified in some way, such as an empire that was once unified but is now fragmented.The word fragmental is used in a more specific way in the context of geology to describe rocks or mineral deposits made up of fragments of other rocks and minerals.Example: Scholars have been able to piece together the text from the fragmental remains of the ancient parchment.

Other Word Forms

• fragmentally adverb

Etymology

Origin of fragmental

First recorded in 1790–1800; fragment + -al ¹

Example Sentences

We were wrong because submarine volcanoes hide under thousands of meters of water, so we cobbled together a picture from fragmental data.

From Scientific American

Our understanding went from rudimentary and fragmental to advanced and unified with breathtaking speed, leaving this poor book wallowing in suddenly outdated ideas.

From Scientific American

But such a deep impression is not made by a superficial or fragmental study of the poem.

From Project Gutenberg

The original porphyritic, fluidal, vesicular or fragmental structures of the igneous rock are clearly visible in the less advanced stages of hornfelsing, but become less evident as the alteration progresses.

From Project Gutenberg

Films or stains of glauconite on shells, sand grains and phosphate nodules are explained by a similar deposit of fragmental glauconite.

From Project Gutenberg