Friable
/ˈfraɪ.ə.bəl/noun
Easily crumbled or reduced to powder.
Did you know?Friable ultimately traces back to the same Indo-European root as “rub,” so this word literally carries the idea of being worn down by friction over time.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₃reup-
“to tear out, snatch away; to break off”
Latin
Latin
friare
“to rub, crumble, or break into small pieces”
Late Latin
Latin
friabilis
“easily crumbled or rubbed to pieces”
Old French
Old French
friable
“easily crumbled”
14th Century
English
friable
“easily crumbled or reduced to powder”