TERMIUM Plus®
From: Translation Bureau
On social media
Consult the Government of Canada’s terminology data bank.
FRAGILE [9 records]
Record 1 - internal organization data 2016-08-29
Record 1, English
Record 1, Subject field(s)
- Hygiene and Health
Record 1, Main entry term, English
- frail
1, record 1, English, frail
correct, adjective
Record 1, Abbreviations, English
Record 1, Synonyms, English
Record 1, Textual support, English
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 DEF
[Referring to someone] having less than a normal amount of strength or force : very weak. 1, record 1, English, - frail
Record number: 1, Textual support number: 1 OBS
frail: implies delicacy and slightness of constitution or structure. 1, record 1, English, - frail
Record 1, French
Record 1, Domaine(s)
- Hygiène et santé
Record 1, Main entry term, French
- faible
1, record 1, French, faible
correct, adjective
Record 1, Abbreviations, French
Record 1, Synonyms, French
- fragile 1, record 1, French, fragile
correct
Record 1, Textual support, French
Record 1, Spanish
Record 1, Textual support, Spanish
Record 2 - internal organization data 2009-01-12
Record 2, English
Record 2, Subject field(s)
- Mineralogy
- Petrography
Record 2, Main entry term, English
- brittle
1, record 2, English, brittle
correct, see observation
Record 2, Abbreviations, English
Record 2, Synonyms, English
Record 2, Textual support, English
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Said of a rock that fractures at less than 3-5% deformation or strain. 2, record 2, English, - brittle
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 CONT
A mineral is said to be brittle when it crumbles to a powder instead of yielding a slice. 3, record 2, English, - brittle
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 OBS
brittle: term used at Natural Resources Canada - Earth Sciences Sector. 4, record 2, English, - brittle
Record 2, French
Record 2, Domaine(s)
- Minéralogie
- Pétrographie
Record 2, Main entry term, French
- cassant
1, record 2, French, cassant
correct, see observation
Record 2, Abbreviations, French
Record 2, Synonyms, French
- fragile 2, record 2, French, fragile
Record 2, Textual support, French
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 CONT
[...] un minéral peut être cassant (cérusite) ou tenace (staurotite) [...] 3, record 2, French, - cassant
Record number: 2, Textual support number: 1 OBS
cassant: terme en usage à Ressources naturelles Canada - Secteur des sciences de la Terre. 4, record 2, French, - cassant
Record 2, Spanish
Record 2, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Mineralogía
- Petrografía
Record 2, Main entry term, Spanish
- frágil
1, record 2, Spanish, fr%C3%A1gil
correct
Record 2, Abbreviations, Spanish
Record 2, Synonyms, Spanish
- quebradizo 2, record 2, Spanish, quebradizo
Record 2, Textual support, Spanish
Record 3 - internal organization data 2002-04-26
Record 3, English
Record 3, Subject field(s)
- Bones and Joints
- Symptoms (Medicine)
Record 3, Main entry term, English
- brittle 1, record 3, English, brittle
Record 3, Abbreviations, English
Record 3, Synonyms, English
Record 3, French
Record 3, Domaine(s)
- Os et articulations
- Symptômes (Médecine)
Record 3, Main entry term, French
- friable 1, record 3, French, friable
Record 3, Abbreviations, French
Record 3, Synonyms, French
- fragile 1, record 3, French, fragile
Record 3, Textual support, French
Record 3, Spanish
Record 3, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Huesos y articulaciones
- Síntomas (Medicina)
Record 3, Main entry term, Spanish
- friable 1, record 3, Spanish, friable
Record 3, Abbreviations, Spanish
Record 3, Synonyms, Spanish
- frágil 1, record 3, Spanish, fr%C3%A1gil
- deleznable 1, record 3, Spanish, deleznable
Record 3, Textual support, Spanish
Record 4 - internal organization data 2002-01-12
Record 4, English
Record 4, Subject field(s)
- General Vocabulary
- Shipping and Delivery
Record 4, Main entry term, English
- handle with care 1, record 4, English, handle%20with%20care
Record 4, Abbreviations, English
Record 4, Synonyms, English
- handle carefully 2, record 4, English, handle%20carefully
- do not crush 3, record 4, English, do%20not%20crush
Record 4, Textual support, English
Record 4, French
Record 4, Domaine(s)
- Vocabulaire général
- Expédition et livraison
Record 4, Main entry term, French
- fragile 1, record 4, French, fragile
Record 4, Abbreviations, French
Record 4, Synonyms, French
- à manipuler avec précaution 2, record 4, French, %C3%A0%20manipuler%20avec%20pr%C3%A9caution
Record 4, Textual support, French
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Indication apposée sur les colis qui exigent une manutention délicate. 3, record 4, French, - fragile
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 OBS
Ces deux expressions [«handle with care» et «fragile»] sont bien caractéristiques du génie propre de chaque langue. L'anglais, plus concret, dit explicitement ce qu'il faut faire; le français, plus abstrait, se contente de donner une caractéristique du colis et laisse aux manipulateurs le soin de tirer les conclusions concernant le soin à prendre. 3, record 4, French, - fragile
Record 4, Spanish
Record 4, Campo(s) temático(s)
- Vocabulario general
- Expedición y entrega
Record 4, Main entry term, Spanish
- frágil
1, record 4, Spanish, fr%C3%A1gil
correct
Record 4, Abbreviations, Spanish
Record 4, Synonyms, Spanish
- manipular con cuidado 2, record 4, Spanish, manipular%20con%20cuidado
correct
- manejar con cuidado 3, record 4, Spanish, manejar%20con%20cuidado
correct
Record 4, Textual support, Spanish
Record number: 4, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Mención señalada con una etiqueta cuando se transporta un objeto que puede romperse fácilmente. 4, record 4, Spanish, - fr%C3%A1gil
Record 5 - internal organization data 2001-06-15
Record 5, English
Record 5, Subject field(s)
- Strength of Materials
Record 5, Main entry term, English
- fragile 1, record 5, English, fragile
Record 5, Abbreviations, English
Record 5, Synonyms, English
Record 5, Textual support, English
Record 5, French
Record 5, Domaine(s)
- Résistance des matériaux
Record 5, Main entry term, French
- fragile
1, record 5, French, fragile
adjective
Record 5, Abbreviations, French
Record 5, Synonyms, French
Record 5, Textual support, French
Record number: 5, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Se dit d'un matériau ou d'un système dans lequel des contraintes de niveau relativement faible provoquent des déformations discontinues. 2, record 5, French, - fragile
Record 5, Spanish
Record 5, Textual support, Spanish
Record 6 - internal organization data 1999-10-21
Record 6, English
Record 6, Subject field(s)
- Translation (General)
Record 6, Main entry term, English
- tenuous 1, record 6, English, tenuous
Record 6, Abbreviations, English
Record 6, Synonyms, English
Record 6, French
Record 6, Domaine(s)
- Traduction (Généralités)
Record 6, Main entry term, French
- fragile 1, record 6, French, fragile
Record 6, Abbreviations, French
Record 6, Synonyms, French
Record 6, Textual support, French
Record 6, Spanish
Record 6, Textual support, Spanish
Record 7 - internal organization data 1991-01-07
Record 7, English
Record 7, Subject field(s)
- Rheology
- Strength of Materials
- General Scientific and Technical Vocabulary
Record 7, Main entry term, English
- brittle 1, record 7, English, brittle
Record 7, Abbreviations, English
Record 7, Synonyms, English
Record 7, Textual support, English
Record number: 7, Textual support number: 1 CONT
Structural steel, both plain carbon and those of low-alloy content, may fail in a brittle manner at low temperature. ... Once a brittle crack has started ... it may traverse a considerable distance before it has stopped. 2, record 7, English, - brittle
Record 7, French
Record 7, Domaine(s)
- Rhéologie
- Résistance des matériaux
- Vocabulaire technique et scientifique général
Record 7, Main entry term, French
- fragile
1, record 7, French, fragile
adjective
Record 7, Abbreviations, French
Record 7, Synonyms, French
Record 7, Textual support, French
Record number: 7, Textual support number: 1 DEF
Se dit (...) d'un solide lorsqu'il se rompt sans déformation permanente appréciable (...) à la suite d'un faible déplacement relatif des deux lèvres de la surface de rupture. 2, record 7, French, - fragile
Record 7, Spanish
Record 7, Textual support, Spanish
Record 8 - internal organization data 1986-05-14
Record 8, English
Record 8, Subject field(s)
- Translation
Record 8, Main entry term, English
- breakable 1, record 8, English, breakable
Record 8, Abbreviations, English
Record 8, Synonyms, English
Record 8, Textual support, English
Record 8, French
Record 8, Domaine(s)
- Traduction
Record 8, Main entry term, French
- fragile 1, record 8, French, fragile
Record 8, Abbreviations, French
Record 8, Synonyms, French
Record 8, Textual support, French
Record number: 8, Textual support number: 1 CONT
revêtu de la mention «fragile» (Harrap) 1, record 8, French, - fragile
Record number: 8, Textual support number: 1 OBS
L'Académie répare parfois des oublis; ainsi cassable, «qu'on peut casser aisément», et cathédrale, «église épiscopale», ont enfin été jugés dignes de figurer dans le Dictionnaire. 1, record 8, French, - fragile
Record 8, Spanish
Record 8, Textual support, Spanish
Record 9 - internal organization data 1985-05-30
Record 9, English
Record 9, Subject field(s)
- Air Pollution
Record 9, Main entry term, English
- sensitive
1, record 9, English, sensitive
correct
Record 9, Abbreviations, English
Record 9, Synonyms, English
Record 9, Textual support, English
Record number: 9, Textual support number: 1 CONT
The U.S./Canadian Bilateral Research Consultation Group (Altshuller and McBean, 1980) has classified as "sensitive" those aquatic systems in which calcium concentrations are observed to be below 200 microequivalents/l. 1, record 9, English, - sensitive
Record number: 9, Textual support number: 2 CONT
A receptor or receptor area is said to be susceptible if it is both sensitive, and receiving a pollutant loading or stress. 1, record 9, English, - sensitive
Record 9, French
Record 9, Domaine(s)
- Pollution de l'air
Record 9, Main entry term, French
- sensible 1, record 9, French, sensible
Record 9, Abbreviations, French
Record 9, Synonyms, French
- fragile 1, record 9, French, fragile
- susceptible 1, record 9, French, susceptible
Record 9, Textual support, French
Record 9, Spanish
Record 9, Textual support, Spanish
Copyright notice for the TERMIUM Plus® data bank
© Public Services and Procurement Canada, 2026
TERMIUM Plus®, the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank
A product of the Translation Bureau
Features
GCtranslate (available on the Government of Canada network only)
Use this artificial intelligence prototype to translate Government of Canada content up to and including Protected B. Available to employees of selected departments and agencies only.
Writing tools
The Language Portal’s writing tools have a new look! Easy to consult, they give you access to a wealth of information that will help you write better in English and French.
Glossaries and vocabularies
Access Translation Bureau glossaries and vocabularies.
- Date Modified: