friable

Friable describes a material that can be easily crumbled, powdered, or disintegrated into small pieces under light pressure or abrasion. It is used across disciplines to denote a low resistance to fracture and a tendency to crumble rather than bend or deform. In many contexts friability depends on moisture content, particle size, and internal cohesion: dryness generally increases friability, while moisture can bind particles and reduce crumble tendency.

In soils and geotechnical contexts, friable soils are those that break into crumbs with gentle pressure, indicating moderate porosity and structure. Such soils are often described as having good tilth for planting because they form aggregates that crumble under touch but resist sudden disintegration.

In materials science, friable materials include chalk, soft sandstone, or certain clays that readily break apart when struck or pressed. The term is contrasted with brittle materials, which fracture with little deformation, and with ductile materials, which deform before failure.

In pharmaceuticals, friability is a property of tablets describing their tendency to crumble under handling. The friability test assesses how much weight a tablet loses when subjected to mechanical stress, serving as a quality-control indicator.

In medical contexts, friable tissue or mucosa refers to tissue that bleeds easily when touched or manipulated, indicating fragility or underlying pathology.

Originating from the French friable, ultimately from Latin frangibilis “able to be broken,” friable conveys fragility across its uses.