defragment

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/diːfɹæɡˈmɛnt//diːˈfɹæɡmɛnt/

verb

To run a process that collects fragments of files and sorts them into contiguous sections on one or more hard disks or hard disk partitions, thus speeding up file management.

Similar
defrag
OriginEnglish fragment ← Latin dē- ← Proto-Italic *dē →
UncommonScrabble 17
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Meanings

verbdefragment (third-person singular simple present defragments, present participle defragmenting, simple past and past participle defragmented)

present singular third person defragments · participle present defragmenting · participle past defragmented · past defragmented

  1. computingTo run a process that collects fragments of files and sorts them into contiguous sections on one or more hard disks or hard disk partitions, thus speeding up file management.

    SSDs don't need defragmenting. Windows wont' even let you try to defragment an SSD. However, if you could defragment an SSD, you might shorten the device's lifespan.

    2013, Dan Gookin, PCs For Dummies, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN

    Synonyms: defrag

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo run a process that collects fragments of files and sorts them into contiguous sections on one or more hard disks or hard disk partitions, thus speeding up file management.

Similar
defrag

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*de
  2. Proto-Indo-European*déh₁
  3. Proto-Italic*dē
  4. Latindē
  5. Latindē-
  6. Englishde-
  7. Englishfragment
  8. Englishdefragment

From de- + fragment.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bengali ডিফ্র্যাগমেন্ট করা
  • ডিফ্র্যাগমেন্ট করা (ḍiphrjagomenṭo kora)to run a process to make file fragments on a hard disk contiguous
Czech defragmentovat
  • defragmentovatto run a process to make file fragments on a hard disk contiguous
Dutch defragmenteren
  • defragmenterento run a process to make file fragments on a hard disk contiguous
Finnish eheyttää
  • eheyttääto run a process to make file fragments on a hard disk contiguous
French défragmenter
  • défragmenterto run a process to make file fragments on a hard disk contiguous
German defragmentieren
  • defragmentierento run a process to make file fragments on a hard disk contiguous
Hungarian töredezettségmentesít
  • töredezettségmentesítto run a process to make file fragments on a hard disk contiguous
Indonesian mendefragmentasi
  • mendefragmentasito run a process to make file fragments on a hard disk contiguous
Italian deframmentare
  • deframmentareto run a process to make file fragments on a hard disk contiguous
Malay mendefragmentasi, menyahserpih
  • mendefragmentasito run a process to make file fragments on a hard disk contiguous
  • menyahserpihto run a process to make file fragments on a hard disk contiguous
Māori whakatōpū kongakonga
  • whakatōpū kongakongato run a process to make file fragments on a hard disk contiguous
Polish defragmentować, zdefragmentować
  • defragmentowaćto run a process to make file fragments on a hard disk contiguous
  • zdefragmentowaćto run a process to make file fragments on a hard disk contiguous
Portuguese desfragmentar
  • desfragmentarto run a process to make file fragments on a hard disk contiguous
Spanish desfragmentar
  • desfragmentarto run a process to make file fragments on a hard disk contiguous

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

fragmented
Cite this entry
APA

defragment. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defragment

MLA

“defragment.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defragment. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “defragment,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defragment.

Source: defragment on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.