[brit.tle] adj brit.tler ; brit.tlest [ME britil; akin to OE breotan to break, ON brjota] (14c) 1 a: easily broken, cracked, or snapped "~ clay" "~ glass" b: easily disrupted, overthrown, or damaged: frail "a ~ friendship"
2. a: perishable, mortal b: transitory, evanescent
3: easily hurt or offended: sensitive "a ~ personality"
4: sharp "~ staccato of snare drums"
5: lacking warmth, depth, or generosity of spirit: cold "a ~ selfish person"
6: affected with or being a form of diabetes characterized by large and unpredictable fluctuations in blood glucose level syn see fragile -- brit.tle.ly adv -- brit.tle.ness n
[2]brittle n (1913): a candy made with caramelized sugar and nuts spread in thin sheets "peanut ~"