fragmentation

[frag-muh n-tey-shuh n]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR fragmentation ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act or process of fragmenting; state of being fragmented.

the disintegration, collapse, or breakdown of norms of thought, behavior, or social relationship.

the pieces of an exploded fragmentation bomb or grenade.

Computers. the process, or result, of storing a file in non-contiguous sectors on a disk. As files are created, modified, deleted, etc., both the allocation of the files and the remaining free space on the disk become fragmented, slowing down data access speed on the disk.

Origin of fragmentation

First recorded in 1880–85; fragment + -ation

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for fragmentation

dissolution, fragmentation, wound, fissure, crack, putrefaction, demoralization, decentralization, displacement, rift, discontinuity, opening, severance, schism, gap, rent, splinter, breach, cleavage, cleft

Examples from the Web for fragmentation

Contemporary Examples of fragmentation

Instead, we have irony, allusion, meta commentary, fragmentation, parody, and pastiche.
Not Much New in Douglas Rushkoff’s Reading of the Future
Jacob Silverman
March 26, 2013
In this sense the fragmentation of the opposition could also work against Netanyahu.
What Went Wrong For Netanyahu
Bernard Avishai
January 21, 2013
A related black swan is the fragmentation of the European Union, which would also damage U.S. strategic interests.
A Foreign-Policy Cheat Sheet for Obama
Martin Indyk
January 17, 2013
So too is the fragmentation of the FSA when it comes to command and control.
Richard Engel’s Kidnapping: A Behind the Scenes Look
Jamie Dettmer
December 22, 2012
Given the fragmentation of Syrian society, disarmament will be a major challenge.
Back the Syrian Rebels. But Don’t Intervene
P.J. Crowley
December 4, 2012

Historical Examples of fragmentation

Fragmentation ensues, more social and psychological than economic in nature.
After the Rain
Sam Vaknin
The fragmentation of a hitherto unified market is detrimental.
After the Rain
Sam Vaknin
The second method is only a special process of fragmentation.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 16, Slice 5
Various
The fragmentation bombs were a late development in this class of work.
America's Munitions 1917-1918
Benedict Crowell
The great increase in length of these cells is accompanied by the fragmentation of the originally single nucleus.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 8
Various

British Dictionary definitions for fragmentation

fragmentation

noun

the act of fragmenting or the state of being fragmented

the disintegration of norms regulating behaviour, thought, and social relationships

the steel particles of an exploded projectile

(modifier) of or relating to a weapon designed to explode into many small pieces, esp as an antipersonnel weapona fragmentation bomb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for fragmentation

1881, from fragment + -ation. Fragmentation grenade attested from 1918.

fragmentation in Science

fragmentation

[frăg′mən-tā′shən]

The scattering of parts of a computer file across different regions of a disk. Fragmentation occurs when the operating system breaks up the file and stores it in locations left vacant by previously deleted files. The more fragmented the file, the slower it is to retrieve, since each piece of the file must be identified and located on the disk.