comminute

t. [ Lat.comminutum, supine of comm in utus, pa. par. of comminuo to make small, to crumble to pieces: com or con together, and minuo to make smaller; minus =le .] To break, crumble, or pound into minute fragments. ( Pennant.) *com-min-ūte, a. [Lat. comm in utus .] [COмMINUTE, v.] Reduced to a fine powder, ground down, pulverized. com-min-ū-těd, pa . par . or a . [COMMINUTE, v.] The phrase "comminuted shells" is sometimes used in geological and other descriptions for shells broken into small fragments on some sea-beach, or a similar place, before being embedded in a stratum. In surgery a "comminuted fracture" is the fracture of a bone into a number of pieces. com-min-ū-ting, pr . par . & a. [COMMINUTE, v .] com-min-ū-tion. s. [Fr. comminution; Prov. comminucio; Lat. comm in utus, pa. par. of com minuo.] [COMMINUTE.] The act of dividing anything into very small particles; the state of being so divided. In surgery, a comminuted fracture.