noun
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fragments or remnants of something destroyed or broken; rubble
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a collection of loose material derived from rocks, or an accumulation of animal or vegetable matter
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."
Vocabulary lists containing debris
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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"Of Mice and Men"
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 8
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In that footage, shattered glass, empty shelves, cracked computer screens and scattered debris can be seen in the wake of the burglary.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
"It's a serious storm," Governor Josh Green said, proclaiming a state of emergency to ensure the state and its counties "have sufficient resources to clear debris, secure infrastructure, and take other measures to prepare."
From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026
Prototypes of the missile, the FP-5, were painted in bright colors so their debris was easy to find after launches.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
The researchers say this difference could mean Proteus formed again from material located in another part of the debris disk.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
Spirit Lake, decimated by the avalanche, blast, and debris field, was initially unrecognizable to those who had known it before the eruption.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
