fracture

UK: /ˈfræktʃə^r/ US: /ˈfræktʃɚ/ ,(frak′chər)

Inflections of 'fracture' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

fractures

v 3rd person singular

fracturing

v pres p

fractured

v past

fractured

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

frac•ture /ˈfræktʃɚ/   n., v., -tured, -tur•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. Pathology the breaking of a bone or cartilage, or the resulting condition:
   a slight fracture of the wrist.
2. a break;
   split:
   a fracture in relations between the two countries.

v. 

3. Pathology to (cause to) become fractured or broken;
   to (cause to) suffer a fracture in: [no object]
   The arm fractured when she fell.
   [~ + object]
   The bullet fractured his arm.

See -frac-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

frac•ture  (frak′chər), n., v., -tured, -tur•ing. 
n. 

1. Pathology the breaking of a bone, cartilage, or the like, or the resulting condition. Cf. comminuted fracture, complete fracture, compound fracture, greenstick fracture, simple fracture.
2. the act of breaking;
   state of being broken.
3. a break, breach, or split.
4. the characteristic manner of breaking:
   a material of unpredictable fracture.
5. the characteristic appearance of a broken surface, as of a mineral.

v.t. 

6. Pathology to cause or to suffer a fracture in (a bone, etc.).
7. to break or crack.
8. Slang Terms to amuse highly or cause to laugh heartily;
   delight:
   The new comic really fractured the audience.

v.i. 

9. to become fractured;
   break:
   a mineral that does not fracture easily.

• Latin frāctūra a breach, cleft, fracture, equivalent. to frāct(us) (past participle of frangere to break) + -ūra -ure
• Middle French
• late Middle English 1375–1425

frac′tur•a•ble, adj. 
frac′tur•al, adj. 
frac′tur•er, n. 
Synonyms

• 7. smash, shatter, splinter, rupture, split.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

fracture / ˈfræktʃə/ noun

1. the act of breaking or the state of being broken
2. the breaking or cracking of a bone or the tearing of a cartilage
3. the resulting condition
   See also Colles' fracture, compound fracture, greenstick fracture, impacted2
4. a division, split, or breach
5. the characteristic appearance of the surface of a freshly broken mineral or rock
6. the way in which a mineral or rock naturally breaks

verb

1. to break or cause to break; split
2. to break or crack (a bone) or (of a bone) to become broken or cracked

Etymology: 15th Century: from Old French, from Latin fractūra, from frangere to break

ˈfractural adjective