brittle
UK[ˈbrɪtl]US[ˈbrɪtl]
adj
hard but easily broken
adj
easily damaged or destroyed; fragile
adj
(of a sound) unpleasantly hard and sharp and showing no emotion
Etymology
the word 'brittle' entered middle english as 'britel', a development from the old english verb 'brēotan', meaning 'to break'. this old english term is part of the germanic language family, with cognates existing in other germanic tongues, all relating to breaking or crushing. the core semantic logic has remained remarkably consistent: from the ancient concept of breaking, it evolved to describe the specific property of a material that is hard yet breaks easily without deformation. this etymological journey from an action ('to break') to a defining physical property encapsulates the word's precise modern meaning.
Analysis
the word 'brittle' is a simplex word of middle english origin. it is not productively formed from separable modern english morphemes.
Examples
the branches were dry and brittle.
she has a brittle temperament and can be difficult to work with.
he gave a brittle laugh that held no warmth.