fragment
/ˈfræɡ.mənt/A small piece that has broken off from something larger. It suggests the rest of the original thing is missing or lost — so a fragment is always incomplete.
- Archaeologists found a fragment of ancient pottery at the site.
- She could only recall fragments of the conversation.
- A sharp fragment of glass cut his foot.
To break something into small, separate pieces; or to split apart into disconnected parts. Often used when something that was once whole becomes divided.
- The explosion fragmented the boulder into dozens of pieces.
- The political movement began to fragment after its leader resigned.
- Years of neglect had fragmented the community's trust.
Adinary Nuance
Fragment lives in a neighborhood with piece, bit, shard, and scrap — but each word carries a different shade of meaning. "Fragment" always implies that something has broken away from a larger whole, with the rest now missing or incomplete; a "piece" is neutral and doesn't suggest damage or loss. A "shard" is a fragment specifically of something brittle like glass or pottery, often sharp-edged; a "chunk" is larger and far more informal, not suitable for academic writing. In IELTS essays and academic contexts, "fragment" is the precise choice when you want to signal incompleteness — for example, "a fragment of evidence" sounds more analytical than "a bit of evidence."
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- Mảnh vỡ
- Spanish
- Fragmento
- Chinese
- 碎片
- Japanese
- 断片
- Korean
- 조각
Etymology
From Latin "fragmentum," meaning "a piece broken off," derived from "frangere" (to break). The word entered English in the late 16th century and has been used in academic and literary writing ever since.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between 'fragment' and 'piece'?
- 'Fragment' implies something has broken off from a larger whole and is now incomplete — there is a sense of damage or loss. 'Piece' is neutral and simply means a part of something, with no suggestion of breakage or incompleteness.
- Can 'fragment' be used as a verb?
- Yes. When used as a verb, 'fragment' means to break something into small disconnected parts. For example: 'The community began to fragment over the dispute.' The verb stresses the second syllable: /fræɡˈmɛnt/.
- What is a 'sentence fragment' in grammar?
- A sentence fragment is an incomplete sentence that is missing a subject, a verb, or a complete thought. For example, 'Running down the street.' is a fragment because it has no subject. Teachers and examiners in IELTS and academic writing mark fragments as errors.
- Is 'fragment' suitable for IELTS and academic writing?
- Yes, 'fragment' is a strong academic word. It is more precise and formal than 'bit' or 'piece', and it appears frequently in academic texts, archaeology, history, and science writing. Using it correctly can improve your lexical resource score.