Defragment
/ˌdiːˈfræɡ.mənt/noun
To reorganize data so that parts of a file are stored contiguously again.
Did you know?Defragment is a modern technical coinage built from Latin fragmentum, the same root behind words for breaking, fragments, and even “fragile,” so the software term is basically about reversing brokenness.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
fragmentum
“a broken piece; fragment”
Late Latin
Latin
frangere
“to break”
Old French
Old French
fragile
“easily broken”
Modern English
English
fragment
“a broken piece or small part”
Late 20th Century
English
defragment
“to rearrange scattered data into contiguous order”