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

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and fragmental to advanced and unified with breathtaking speed, leaving this poor book wallowing in suddenly outdated ideas.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 • Sep. 21, 2019

Placers are detrital or fragmental sediments containing the ore in mechanical fragments, which are derived from the erosion and transportation of solid-rock veins or lodes, sometimes called the "mother lode."

From The Economic Aspect of Geology by Leith, C. K. (Charles Kenneth)

But the most important fragmental materials are those derived from the lava itself.

From The Elements of Geology by Norton, William Harmon

These are similar in composition to the leaner iron ores of Brazil, called itabirite, but differ in that the silica is in the form of chemically deposited chert, rather than fragmental quartz grains.

From The Economic Aspect of Geology by Leith, C. K. (Charles Kenneth)

The cone-building stage may be said to continue until eruptions of lava and fragmental materials cease altogether.

From The Elements of Geology by Norton, William Harmon