rupture

[ ruhp-cher ]

noun

1. the act of breaking or bursting:

   The flood led to the rupture of the dam.

2. the state of being broken or burst:

   a rupture in the earth's surface.

   Synonyms: burst, split, break, fracture

   Antonyms: union, seam

3. a breach of harmonious, friendly, or peaceful relations.
4. Pathology. hernia, especially abdominal hernia.

verb (used with object)

, rup·tured, rup·tur·ing.

1. to break or burst:

   He ruptured a blood vessel.

   Synonyms: disrupt, split, fracture

   Antonyms: unite

2. to cause a breach of:

   to rupture friendly relations.

3. Pathology. to affect with hernia.

verb (used without object)

, rup·tured, rup·tur·ing.

1. to suffer a break or rupture.

rupture

/ ˈrʌptʃə /

noun

1. the act of breaking or bursting or the state of being broken or burst
2. a breach of peaceful or friendly relations
3. pathol
   1. the breaking or tearing of a bodily structure or part
   2. another word for hernia

verb

1. to break or burst or cause to break or burst
2. to affect or be affected with a rupture or hernia
3. to undergo or cause to undergo a breach in relations or friendship

Derived Forms

• ˈrupturable, adjective

Other Words From

• ruptur·a·ble adjective
• non·ruptur·a·ble adjective
• non·rupture noun
• un·ruptur·a·ble adjective
• un·ruptured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rupture¹

1475–85; < Latin ruptūra (noun), equivalent to rupt ( us ) (past participle of rumpere to break) + -ūra -ure

Word History and Origins

Origin of rupture¹

C15: from Latin ruptūra a breaking, from rumpere to burst forth; see erupt

Example Sentences

Most of our body tissues have evolved to regenerate ruptures or fractures with remarkable efficacy, as long as these are small in size.

From Science Daily

In a five-minute hearing, Lorraine Harris, the area coroner for Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire, said the cause of his death was a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.

From BBC

After a major pipeline rupture five years ago, he started photographing and filming pools of oily water and heaps of blackened soil in locations in Unity State, including sites near Roriak, where the herders live.

From BBC

The news threatened to rupture the sunny image Palmer has been cultivating since she played Akeelah at age 12.

From Los Angeles Times

Without intervention, a constricted baby may fatally rupture the uterus, or cause tears that catastrophically haemorrhage.

From BBC

Related Words

• breach
• disruption
• estrangement
• misunderstanding
• rift
• schism