Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1400-1500
Language: Latin
Origin: fragilis; FRAIL

fragile

 adjective
     
fra‧gile
1 easily broken or damaged [= delicate; ≠ strong]:
fragile bones
Be careful with that vase - it's very fragile.
2 a fragile situation is one that is weak or uncertain, and likely to become worse under pressure [≠ strong]:
the country's fragile economy
Relations between the two countries are in a fragile state.
the party's fragile unity
3

fragile health

a weak physical condition because of illness
4 thin and delicate:
fragile beauty
5 British English if someone feels fragile they feel ill, especially because they have drunk too much alcohol
—fragility noun [uncountable]
WORD FOCUS: weak WORD FOCUS: weak
person: puny, feeble, weedy British English, frail, fragile, powerless, vulnerable
thing: fragile, delicate, flimsy, rickety, badly made, jerry-built

➔ See also weak
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
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