Comminution

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. The act of reducing to a fine powder or to small particles; pulverization; the state of being comminuted. Bentley.

2. Fracture (of a bone) into a number of pieces. Dunglison.

3. Gradual diminution by the removal of small particles at a time; a lessening; a wearing away. Natural and necessary comminution of our lives. Johnson.