Definition

The process in which a material becomes brittle, losing its ability to bend or flex without breaking.

Example

The embrittlement of the metal made it prone to cracking under stress.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of embrittlement in metals?

Yeah, it's when they lose their flexibility, right?

Exactly! It can really affect their performance over time.

That’s why maintenance is so important for machinery.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Embrittlement is formed from "em-" (meaning to cause to be) and "brittle" (from Old English "bryttel", meaning easily broken). The suffix "-ment" (meaning the action or process of) indicates the process of making something brittle or causing it to become easily breakable.

Memory Tip

Think of the process of 'causing to be' ('em-') 'easily broken' ('brittle') — that's what embrittlement means.

Visually Confused Words