friable
/ˈfrʌɪəb(ə)l
/adjective
Easily crumbled: the soil was friable between her fingers...
- This material, which is colored whitish or grey to yellow-orange, is so light and friable that specimens crumble under finger pressure.
- The best form of winter protection is to mound up each plant at its base with loose, friable soil that drains well.
- When freshly collected, laumontite is colorless and quite hard; however, once dry, it crumbles and becomes friable and white.
Synonyms
crumbly, easily crumbled, powdery, dusty, chalky, soft;
dry, crisp, brittle
rare pulverulent, levigated, brashy
Derivatives
friability
/ noun ...- The video also depicted various physical and analytical tests performed on tablets, including weight uniformity, tablet hardness, friability, disintegration, and dissolution.
- In one application of the invention, the apparatus can be used to test the friability of diamond particles.
- This work involves the development of methodology for characterizing and predicting the friability of granules by combining experimental and theoretical techniques as an extension of our recent work.
friableness
/ noun ...- With a maximum density there is a minimum friableness which in turn produces, during the shearing and classification steps, less fine material which is below the desired product range size.
- The tufa, thanks to its friableness, lends itself to artisan work.
- The particular kind of the bedrock is not homogeneous and consequently is characterized by mechanical weakness and superficial friableness.
Origin
Mid 16th century: from French, or from Latin friabilis, from friare 'to crumble'.