Broken

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈbɹəʊ.kn̩/

Definitions

1. No longer whole or intact due to damage or fracture ; unable to operate properly because of physical or mechanical failure ; emotionally disturbed or deeply affected by distress
2. Having suffered damage that impairs function or completeness ; failing to work correctly because of a fault or defect ; showing signs of emotional pain or disruption
3. Having lost completeness or soundness through fracture or damage ; not functioning or operating as intended due to malfunction or defect ; marked by emotional collapse or severe distress

Etymology: The past participle of "break" has a surprising quirk: English kept two forms for it. "Broke" survives as the past tense, while "broken" is the older participle, descended from Old English "brocen" (also written "ġebrocen"), which itself traces back to a Proto-Germanic form that shares its root with the verb "to break." The same participle shows up across the family, in Dutch "gebroken," German "gebrochen," and Low German "broken," so the idea of something shattered or snapped is very old in the Germanic languages. The adjective grew from that participle. Once "broken" was used to describe a thing that had been fractured, it naturally extended to anything damaged, interrupted, or no longer functioning, such as a broken promise, a broken heart, or a broken radio. The word's core meaning of a physical break has stayed intact through all these extensions.

Synonyms: damaged, shattered, fractured, destroyed, disrupted

Antonyms: whole, intact, unbroken