fragment

[ noun frag-muhnt; verb frag-muhnt, -ment, frag-ment ]

noun

1. a part broken off or detached:

   scattered fragments of the broken vase.

2. an isolated, unfinished, or incomplete part:

   She played a fragment of her latest composition.

3. an odd piece, bit, or scrap.

verb (used without object)

1. to collapse or break into fragments; disintegrate:

   The chair fragmented under his weight.

verb (used with object)

1. to break (something) into pieces or fragments; cause to disintegrate:

   Outside influences soon fragmented the Mayan culture.

2. to divide into fragments; disunify.
3. Computers. to store (data from a file) in noncontiguous sectors on a disk drive, splitting the file into smaller pieces and breaking up available free space on the disk. Compare defragment ( def ).

fragment

noun

1. a piece broken off or detached

   fragments of rock

2. an incomplete piece; portion

   fragments of a novel

3. a scrap; morsel; bit

verb

1. to break or cause to break into fragments

Word History and Origins

Origin of fragment¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin fragmentum “a broken piece, remnant,” equivalent to frag- (stem of frangere “to break, shatter” ) + -mentum noun suffix; break, -ment

Word History and Origins

Origin of fragment¹

C15: from Latin fragmentum , from frangere to break

Synonym Study

See part.

Example Sentences

Decades later, a fragment of that dream has begun to materialize, and residential towers with Space Age names — Evo, Aven, E11even — occupy former parking lots.

From Los Angeles Times

This work of ecologically minded art is positioned as just one self-aware fragment of a much bigger worldview that needs to be seen as holistic and systemic.

From Los Angeles Times

Swanson was hit in the arm by a bullet fragment.

From Los Angeles Times

"Usually you think of icebergs as being transient things; they fragment and melt away. But not this one," observed polar expert Prof Mark Brandon.

From BBC

Edwards describes each picture as a fragment of a larger narrative.

From BBC

Related Words

• disintegrate
• splinter