brittle
brittle Lexical Profile
brittle Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Hard, stiff, and rigid, but easily broken, cracked, or shattered under stress rather than bending.
"The autumn leaves had grown dry and brittle on the forest floor."
Appearing hard, tense, or sharp on the surface, yet emotionally fragile, unstable, or lacking genuine warmth.
"She gave a brittle laugh to mask her growing anxiety during the interview."
Unpleasantly sharp, piercing, and lacking resonance or warmth (of a sound or voice).
"The antique harpsichord produced a bright, brittle tone in the small hall."
• noun
A hard, flat confection made of caramelized sugar and butter embedded with roasted nuts such as peanuts, almonds, or pecans, broken into irregular pieces once cooled.
"During the holidays, my grandmother always bakes a batch of homemade peanut brittle."
• Rhymes for brittle
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'britel', related to Old English 'brytan' meaning 'to crush, pound, or break into pieces', combined with the suffix '-el' indicating a tendency or liability.