fragile

/ˈfra-jəl/

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French fragile, borrowed from Latin fragilis, from frag-, variant stem of frangere "to break, shatter" + -ilis "subject to, susceptible to (the action of the verb)" (alteration of -ibilis -able

adjective

  1. easily broken or destroyed

  2. constitutionally delicate : lacking in vigor

  3. tenuous, slight

a fragile vase

a fragile child

fragile frangible brittle crisp friable mean breaking easily. fragile implies extreme delicacy of material or construction and need for careful handling. frangible implies susceptibility to being broken without implying weakness or delicacy.

noun

  1. an X-linked inherited disorder that is characterized especially by moderate to severe intellectual and developmental disabilities, an elongated face and prominent forehead, chin, and ears, and by large testes in males, and that often has limited or no effect in heterozygous females

… most children with fragile X syndrome have other characteristic traits, including anxiety, hyperactivity, and a number of behaviors that are often seen in autism.