n. & v.
--n.
1. a part broken off; a detached piece.
2 an isolated or incomplete part.
3 the remains of an otherwise lost or destroyed whole, esp. the extant remains or unfinished portion of a book or work of art.
--v.tr. & intr. break or separate into fragments.
Derivatives:
fragmental adj. fragmentize v.tr. (also -ise).
Etymology: ME f. F fragment or L fragmentum (as FRAGILE)