fracture
the breaking of a bone, cartilage, or the like, or the resulting condition.: Compare comminuted fracture, complete fracture, compound fracture, greenstick fracture, simple fracture.
the act of breaking; state of being broken.
a break, breach, or split.
the characteristic manner of breaking: a material of unpredictable fracture.
the characteristic appearance of a broken surface, as of a mineral.
to cause or to suffer a fracture in (a bone, etc.).
to break or crack.
Slang. to amuse highly or cause to laugh heartily; delight: The new comic really fractured the audience.
to become fractured; break: a mineral that does not fracture easily.
Origin of fracture
1Other words for fracture
Other words from fracture
- frac·tur·a·ble, adjective
- frac·tur·al, adjective
- frac·tur·er, noun
- post·frac·ture, adjective, noun
- re·frac·tur·a·ble, adjective
- re·frac·ture, verb, re·frac·tured, re·frac·tur·ing.
- un·frac·tured, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
British Dictionary definitions for fracture
/ (ˈfræktʃə) /
the act of breaking or the state of being broken
the breaking or cracking of a bone or the tearing of a cartilage
the resulting condition: See also Colles' fracture, comminuted fracture, compound fracture, greenstick fracture, impacted (def. 2)
a division, split, or breach
mineralogy
the characteristic appearance of the surface of a freshly broken mineral or rock
the way in which a mineral or rock naturally breaks
to break or cause to break; split
to break or crack (a bone) or (of a bone) to become broken or cracked
to tear (a cartilage) or (of a cartilage) to become torn
Origin of fracture
1Derived forms of fracture
- fracturable, adjective
- fractural, adjective
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
Scientific definitions for fracture
[ frăk′chər ]
A break or rupture in bone tissue.♦ A comminuted fracture results in more than two fragments.♦ Although most fractures are caused by a direct blow or sudden, twisting force, stress fractures result from repetitive physical activity.♦ In an incomplete fracture, the fracture line does not completely traverse the bone.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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