Difference Between Friable and Fryable

Friable or Fryable

Both words are pronounced the same way but are totally different in meaning.

“Friable” means material that easily crumbles into very small particles with very little force such as finger or hand pressure.  A friable substance is brittle and disintegrates very easily.

The origin of the word is Latin “friabilis”, fria being to rub or crumble, and abilis  meaning to able.

One example of a friable substance is asbestos.  Friable asbestos is more dangerous than hard asbestos because it releases very fine fibers into the air which lodge into the nose, windpipe and lung tissue.

Other substances which are friable are given below.

• Soil 
• Dried clay 
• Chalk 
• Crystal 
• Bones 
• Skin 
• Body tissue 
• Rock 
• Trash 

Sentences using the word friable.

• To grow pepper, the soil should be friable with good drainage. 
• I cannot write with a piece of chalk.  It is so friable that the dust gets into my throat. 

• Some crystals are so friable that they disintegrate in water. 
• The recently discovered ancient sites had many skeletons which were so friable that they turned into powder at one touch. 
• Some people have very friable skin which is so fragile that they bruise easily. 
• The surgeon found it very difficult to stitch up the patient since the tissue around the wound was friable.  
• The clay statue from India fell and smashed into fine powder due to its friability. 
• Human bones can be friable due to osteoporosis. 
• These cookies are very friable.  They crumble with one bite. 
• When painting your house, ensure that the plaster is scraped in your absence.  The friable properties of plaster can trigger an asthma attack. 
• Blasting the rocks created a friable dust which affected one’s breathing. 
• Burning trash creates friable particles which are hazardous to one’s health. 

Friable is a term used mostly in the construction business, engineering projects, in horticulture and medical vocabulary.

“Fryable” on the other hand, means anything that can be cooked by frying, i.e. cooked or sautéed in hot oil or fat.  Fryable can only be used in referring to food items.  For example, our clothes, shoes, beds, houses etc. are definitely not fryable.

• Bacon is fryable. 
• Eggs are fryable. 
• Chicken is fryable. 
• Fish is fryable. 
• Bread is fryable. 
• Potatoes are fryable. 

• Bananas are fryable. 
• There is no such thing as a fryable salad. 
• I don’t think lettuce is fryable. 
• Strawberries are definitely not fryable. 
• Milk is not fryable. 
• No liquid is fryable. 
• Only solids are fryable. 
• Only food items are fryable. 

Actually we rarely use the word fryable in written or spoken English.

It is much better to say:

• Bacon can be fried. 
• Eggs can be fried. 
• Chicken can be fried. 
• Fish can be fried. 
• Bread can be fried. 
• Lettuce cannot be fried. 
• Strawberries definitely cannot be fried. 
• Milk cannot be fried. 
• No liquid can be fried. 
• Only solids can be fried. 

• Only food items can be fried. 
• Hospitals do not usually serve fried food to their patients. 
• French fries are a favourite with all children. 

To sum up we can say soil is friable but definitely not fryable.  Skin can be friable but only chicken skin is fryable.  Crystal can be friable but not fryable.

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