antilitter
|an-ti-lit-ter|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.tiˈlɪt.ər/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.tiˈlɪt.ə/
against littering
Etymology
'antilitter' originates from a combination of the prefix 'anti-' and the noun 'litter'. 'Anti-' comes from Greek 'anti' where 'anti-' meant 'against'. 'Litter' comes from Old French 'litiere' (from Latin roots related to 'bed' or 'lying'), later developing the sense of 'scattered rubbish' in English.
'litter' changed from Old French 'litiere' meaning 'bedding' and through Middle English shifted sense to 'material scattered about, including refuse'; in modern English the prefix 'anti-' was attached to form the compound 'anti-litter' (often seen in the 20th century in public-policy contexts), yielding 'antilitter' in unhyphenated form.
Initially 'litter' referred to bedding or material on which one lies; over time it evolved to mean 'scattered refuse'; combining with 'anti-' produced the modern meaning 'against littering' or 'designed to prevent litter'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a campaign, measure, or general stance aimed at preventing littering (used as a mass noun for the idea or policy).
Antilitter helps keep public spaces pleasant for residents and visitors.
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Adjective 1
opposed to littering; intended to prevent or reduce the leaving of rubbish in public places (e.g., an antilitter campaign or measure).
The city launched an antilitter campaign to keep the beaches clean.
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Last updated: 2025/09/02 22:56