detritus
|de-tri-tus|
/dɪˈtraɪtəs/
worn-away fragments or waste
Etymology
'detritus' originates from Latin, specifically the past participle 'dētritus' of 'dēterere', where 'dē-' meant 'away' and 'terere' meant 'to rub' or 'wear'.
'detritus' in Latin was used to mean 'worn away material'; it was adopted into English from Late Latin/Scientific Latin usage (via scholarly and scientific writing) and entered general English use by the 17th century as a noun meaning 'waste or debris'.
Initially it meant 'material worn away by rubbing or erosion'; over time it broadened to the general modern senses of 'broken fragments, organic debris, or waste material'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
loose fragments or particles produced by the wearing away, disintegration, or erosion of rock or other material; rubble and broken material.
Geologists examined the detritus at the base of the cliff to learn about past erosion events.
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Noun 2
dead organic matter (such as leaves, twigs, and animal remains) that accumulates and often serves as a food or nutrient source in ecosystems, especially aquatic ones.
The detritus on the pond floor provides food for many invertebrates.
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Noun 3
waste material, refuse, or miscellaneous debris resulting from destruction, wear, or neglect.
After the demolition, the site was littered with detritus.
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Last updated: 2025/10/15 04:15