rupture
n. C / Un. a sudden break or burst in something, like a pipe or a part of your body. It can also describe a serious break in a relationship between people or groups.
n. an instance of breaking or bursting suddenly and completely. Often refers to the physical tearing of a bodily organ or vessel, or figuratively to a severe breach in social or diplomatic relations.
The pipe burst, causing a major rupture in the basement.
Doctors performed emergency surgery to repair a rupture in the patient's appendix before it could cause further infection.
The sudden rupture in diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries led to an immediate suspension of all cross-border trade and travel agreements.
Borrowed from Middle French rupture, or its source, Latin ruptūra (“a breaking, rupture (of a limb or vein)”) and Medieval Latin ruptūra (“a road, a field, a form of feudal tenure, a tax, etc.”), from the participle stem of rumpere (“to break, burst”).
Countable when referring to a specific event or injury; uncountable when discussing the general state of being broken.