fracture

/ˈfrak-chər/

Middle English, borrowed from Latin frāctūra "act of breaking, breaking of a bone," from frāctus (past participle of frangere "to break, shatter") + -ūra -ure

noun

  1. the result of fracturing : break

  2. the act or process of breaking or the state of being broken; especially : the breaking of hard tissue (such as bone)

  3. the rupture (as by tearing) of soft tissue

verb

  1. to cause a crack or fracture in : break

  2. rupture, tear

  3. to damage or destroy as if by rupturing

fracture a rib

noun

  1. an area of suboceanic crust characterized by fractures