A breach in any body, especially a breach caused by violence; a rupture of a solid body.

In surgery, the rupture or disruption of a bone. A fracture is simple or compound; simple, when the bone only is divided; compound, when the bone is broken, with a laceration of the integuments.

In mineralogy, the manner in which a mineral breaks, and by which its texture is displayed; as a compact fracture; a fibrous fracture; foliated, striated or conchoidal fracture.

To break; to burst asunder; to crack; to separate continuous parts; as, to fracture a bone; to fracture the skull.