fragmented

[frag-muh n-tid, -men-, frag-men-] /ˈfræg mən tɪd, -mɛn-, frægˈmɛn-/
adjective
1.
reduced to fragments.
2.
existing or functioning as though broken into separate parts; disorganized; disunified:
a fragmented personality; a fragmented society.
Origin
1810-20; fragment + -ed3
Related forms
nonfragmented, adjective
overfragmented, adjective
unfragmented, adjective

fragment

[n. frag-muh nt; v. frag-muh nt, -ment, frag-ment] /n. ˈfræg mənt; v. ˈfræg mənt, -mɛnt, frægˈmɛnt/
noun
1.
a part broken off or detached:
scattered fragments of the broken vase.
2.
an isolated, unfinished, or incomplete part:
She played a fragment of her latest composition.
3.
an odd piece, bit, or scrap.
verb (used without object)
4.
to collapse or break into fragments; disintegrate:
The chair fragmented under his weight.
verb (used with object)
5.
to break (something) into pieces or fragments; cause to disintegrate:
Outside influences soon fragmented the Mayan culture.
6.
to divide into fragments; disunify.
7.
Computers. to split a file into smaller parts and store in non-contiguous sectors on a disk, resulting in fragmentation of both the file and available free space on the disk.
Compare fragmentation (def 4).
Origin
1375-1425; late Middle English < Latin fragmentum a broken piece, remnant, equivalent to frag- (stem of frangere to break) + -mentum -ment
Synonyms
1–3. See part.
Examples from the web for fragmented
  • Bearden became a master of collage, an art form as complex, fragmented and many-layered as his life.
  • Plus, the habitat that lynx prefer has become fragmented from fires, insect invasions and logging.
  • Inadequate or fragmented sleep can set off seizures in many people.
  • He is extremely popular with the art-house crowd, thanks to his reliance upon improvised dialogue and fragmented continuities.
  • Over the past few decades, wildlife areas have become increasingly fragmented.
  • For now, the sequence is fragmented into hundreds of thousands of snippets.
  • On top of predator pressure, the cottontail is struggling to survive in fragmented habitats.
  • But the groups are fragmented, divided by highways, farms and housing developments.
  • One important point is that our body does not operate in a fragmented manner.
  • fragmented micro photo cells that absorb photons and emit an electromagnetic wavelength that could be used by a wireless receiver.
British Dictionary definitions for fragmented

fragment

noun (ˈfræɡmənt)
1.
a piece broken off or detached: fragments of rock
2.
an incomplete piece; portion: fragments of a novel
3.
a scrap; morsel; bit
verb (fræɡˈmɛnt)
4.
to break or cause to break into fragments
Word Origin
C15: from Latin fragmentum, from frangere to break
Word Origin and History for fragmented

fragment

n.

early 15c., from Latin fragmentum "a fragment, remnant," literally "a piece broken off," from root of frangere "to break" (see fraction).

v.

by 1788 (implied in fragmented), from fragment (n.). Related: Fragmenting.

fragmented in Medicine

fragment frag·ment (frāg'mənt)
n.

  1. A small part broken off or detached.

  2. An incomplete or isolated portion; a bit.

v. frag·ment·ed, frag·ment·ing, frag·ments (frāg'měnt')
To break or separate into fragments.