embrittlement

em·brit·tle·ment
E1M3B3R1I1T1T1L1E1M3E1N1T1
/ɛmˈbɹɪtl̩mənt/

noun

The process of being embrittled; loss of flexibility or elasticity of a material; the development of brittleness.

OriginEnglish embrittle ← Middle English en- ← Old French en- →
UncommonScrabble 19
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Meanings

nounembrittlement (countable and uncountable, plural embrittlements)

plural embrittlements

  1. countableuncountableThe process of being embrittled; loss of flexibility or elasticity of a material; the development of brittleness.

    Even if no weakening effects were noticed after one or two overheatings, the cumulative heat effects would cause embrittlement and failure after subsequent overheatings.

    1964, Metal Mining & Processing, volume 1, page 32

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
  2. Proto-Italic*en
  3. Proto-Italic*en-
  4. Latinin-
  5. Old Frenchen-
  6. Middle Englishen-
  7. Englishem-
  8. Englishbrittle
  9. Englishembrittle
  10. Englishembrittlement

From embrittle + -ment.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans verbrossing
  • verbrossingProcess of being embrittled.
Dutch verbrossing
  • verbrossingProcess of being embrittled.
German Versprödung
  • VersprödungProcess of being embrittled.
Cite this entry
APA

embrittlement. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/embrittlement

MLA

“embrittlement.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/embrittlement. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “embrittlement,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/embrittlement.

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