fragile: [17] Fragile and frail [13] are doublets: that is to say, they have the same ultimate source but have evolved in different ways. In this case the source was Latin fragilis ‘breakable’, a derivative of the same base (*frag-) as produced frangere ‘break’ (whence English fractious). Fragile was acquired either directly from the Latin adjective or via French fragile, but frail passed through Old French frale or frele on its way to English. Other English words to come from *frag- include fragment [15] (from Latin fragmentum) and saxifrage, literally ‘rockbreaker’. => fraction, fracture, fragment, frail, saxifrage
1510s, "liable to sin, morally weak;" c. 1600, "liable to break;" a back-formation from fragility, or else from Middle French fragile (Old French fragele, 14c.), from Latin fragilis "easily broken," from root of frangere "to break" (see fraction). Transferred sense of "of frail constitution" (of persons) is from 1858.
双语例句
1. He remains the anchor of the country's fragile political balance.
他仍然是维系该国脆弱的政治平衡的支柱。
来自柯林斯例句
2. The fragile economies of several southern African nations could be irreparably damaged.
一些南非国家的脆弱经济可能会被彻底破坏，无法挽回。
来自柯林斯例句
3. She was small and fragile and looked incongruous in an army uniform.
她又小又弱，穿一身军装看起来很不协调。
来自柯林斯例句
4. Because of the extreme cold, the Antarctic is a uniquely fragile environment.
极度严寒造成了南极地区绝无仅有的脆弱环境。
来自柯林斯例句
5. He placed one hand heavily on a fragile, wobbling table.
