Fragile, frangible, brittle, crisp, short, friable mean easily broken. They are, however, not often interchangeable.
Fragile (see also WEAK ) is applicable to whatever must be handled or treated carefully lest it be broken.
Frangible stresses susceptibility to being broken rather than positive weakness or delicacy of material or construction.
Brittle implies hardness plus frangibility because of the inflexibility of, or lack of elasticity in, the substance of which a thing is made; it also suggests susceptibility to quick snapping or fracture when subjected to pressure or strain. The term is often extended to things that are dangerously lacking in elasticity or flexibility.
Crisp usually suggests a good quality which makes a thing firm and brittle yet delicate and easily broken or crushed, especially between the teeth. In extended use it implies freshness, briskness, cleanness of cut, incisiveness, or other qualities that suggest the opposite of limpness, languor, or slackness.
Short implies a tendency to crumble or break readily and is applicable to several kinds of substance.
Friable is applicable to substances that are easily crumbled or pulverized.