fragmentary

[ frag-muhn-ter-ee ]

adjective

1. consisting of or reduced to fragments; broken; disconnected; incomplete:

   fragmentary evidence; fragmentary remains.

fragmentary

/ ˈfræɡməntərɪ; -trɪ /

adjective

1. made up of fragments; disconnected; incomplete Alsofragmental

Derived Forms

• ˈfragmentarily, adverb
• ˈfragmentariness, noun

Other Words From

• fragmen·tari·ly adverb
• fragmen·tari·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fragmentary¹

First recorded in 1605–15; fragment + -ary

Example Sentences

Pedro Almodóvar’s first book consists of a mix of short stories and personal essays that amount to ‘a fragmentary autobiography.’

From Los Angeles Times

The stories of Nawara al-Najjar and Malak are a fragmentary glimpse into the suffering of the last 12 months.

From BBC

Pedro Almodóvar’s first book consists of a mix of short stories and personal essays that amount to ‘a fragmentary autobiography.’

From Los Angeles Times

But Almodóvar found, on reading the pieces he has collected, that they amount to “a fragmentary autobiography, incomplete and a little cryptic.”

From Los Angeles Times

But the first fragmentary accounts from rural Pennsylvania had barely registered when the uglier side of our politics emerged in a barrage of reckless and combustible claims about a “false flag” operation, a “deep state” conspiracy and, most egregious, assertions that Biden was behind the assassination attempt.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• scattered
• sketchy