adj.
- hard but liable to break easily.
- (of a voice) unpleasantly hard and sharp and showing signs of nervousness or instability.
n.
a brittle sweet made from nuts and set melted sugar.
Derivative
- brittlely
(or brittly)
adv.
- brittleness n.
Etymology
ME, ult. of Gmc origin and rel. to OE brēotan ‘break up’.
