Trivia Time

What does the Old French root of the word debris mean?

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debris

American  

[duh-bree, dey-bree, deb-ree] / dəˈbri, ˈdeɪ bri, ˈdɛb ri /

Or débris

noun

1. the remains of anything broken down or destroyed; ruins; rubble.

   the debris of buildings after an air raid.

   Synonyms:

   trash, litter, detritus

2. Geology. an accumulation of loose fragments of rock.

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debris British  

/ ˈdɛbrɪ, ˈdeɪbrɪ /

noun

1. fragments or remnants of something destroyed or broken; rubble

2. a collection of loose material derived from rocks, or an accumulation of animal or vegetable matter

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Etymology

Origin of debris

First recorded in 1700–10; from French débris, Middle French debris, derivative of debriser “to break up (into pieces),” Old French debrisier, from de- de- + brisier “to break” ( see bruise)

Explanation

Debris is trash scattered around after a disaster, like shattered glass on the road after a car accident. Debris comes from French for "waste, rubbish." Although debris usually refers to the trash leftover after some kind of explosion or crash, it can also be what's on your floor after hosting a kid's make-your-own pizza party, or what you shouldn't leave at the park after a picnic. Sometimes Mother Nature leaves debris, such as a pile of rocks, or that car on your lawn after the flood recedes. Don't pronounce the "s": debris rhymes with "be free."

Related Words

• detritus
• junk
• remains
• rubbish
• rubble
• trash
• wreck
• wreckage