Frammentate

Frammentate is the feminine plural form of the past participle of the Italian verb frammentare, meaning to break into fragments. In contemporary Italian, frammentate functions as both a participial adjective and, in certain tenses, as part of passive constructions, describing objects that have been divided into pieces. It agrees in gender and number with feminine plural nouns, for example le ceramiche frammentate or le vetrate frammentate.

Etymology and form: the term derives from Latin fragmentum, from frangere “to break.” The related nouns and verbs include frammentazione (fragmentation), frammento (fragment), and frammentare (to fragment).

Usage and examples: as an adjective, frammentate characterizes objects that are no longer intact. Examples include: Le ceramiche frammentate giacevano sul tavolo after il restauro; Le ossa frammentate del fossile sono state esposte al museo; Le finestre frammentate dell’edificio sono state sostituite. In literary or reporting contexts, frammentate can convey a state of dispersion or damage, emphasizing pieces rather than the whole.

Related terms: frammentato (masculine singular), frammentazione (fragmentation), and frantumato (synonymous in many contexts, though with distinct usage). Frammentare remains the base verb, used to describe the act of breaking something into parts, while frammentate describes the resulting condition when the subject is feminine plural.

Overall, frammentate is a standard descriptive form in Italian to express that something has been broken into pieces, with clear grammatical agreement to the feminine plural noun it accompanies.