litter

[ lit-er ]

noun

1. objects strewn or scattered about; scattered rubbish.
2. a condition of disorder or untidiness:

   We were appalled at the litter of the room.

   Synonyms: clutter

3. a number of young brought forth by a multiparous animal at one birth:

   a litter of six kittens.

4. a framework of cloth stretched between two parallel bars, for the transportation of a sick or wounded person; stretcher.
5. a vehicle carried by people or animals, consisting of a bed or couch, often covered and curtained, suspended between shafts.
6. straw, hay, or the like, used as bedding for animals or as protection for plants.
7. the layer of slightly decomposed organic material on the surface of the floor of the forest.
8. cat litter.

verb (used with object)

1. to strew (a place) with scattered objects, rubbish, etc.:

   to be fined for littering the sidewalk.

2. to scatter (objects) in disorder:

   They littered their toys from one end of the playroom to the other.

   Synonyms: derange, disarrange

3. to be strewn about (a place) in disorder (often followed by up ):

   Bits of paper littered the floor.

4. to give birth to (young), as a multiparous animal.
5. to supply (an animal) with litter for a bed.
6. to use (straw, hay, etc.) for litter.
7. to cover (a floor or other area) with straw, hay, etc., for litter.

verb (used without object)

1. to give birth to a litter:

   The cat had littered in the closet.

2. to strew objects about:

   If you litter, you may be fined.

litter

/ ˈlɪtə /

noun

1. 1. small refuse or waste materials carelessly dropped, esp in public places
   2. ( as modifier )

      litter bin

2. a disordered or untidy condition or a collection of objects in this condition
3. a group of offspring produced at one birth by a mammal such as a sow
4. a layer of partly decomposed leaves, twigs, etc, on the ground in a wood or forest
5. straw, hay, or similar material used as bedding, protection, etc, by animals or plants
6. See cat litter
   See cat litter
7. a means of conveying people, esp sick or wounded people, consisting of a light bed or seat held between parallel sticks

verb

1. to make (a place) untidy by strewing (refuse)
2. to scatter (objects, etc) about or (of objects) to lie around or upon (anything) in an untidy fashion
3. (of pigs, cats, etc) to give birth to (offspring)
4. tr to provide (an animal or plant) with straw or hay for bedding, protection, etc

Other Words From

• litter·er noun
• anti·litter adjective
• anti·litter·ing adjective
• de-litter verb (used with object)
• un·littered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of litter¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English litere “bed, litter,” from Anglo-French; Old French litiere, from Medieval Latin lectāria, equivalent to Latin lect(us) “bed” + -āria feminine of -ārius noun suffix; -er ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of litter¹

C13 (in the sense: bed): via Anglo-French, ultimately from Latin lectus bed

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. pick of the litter,
   1. the best or choicest of the animals, especially puppies, in a litter.
   2. the best of any class, group, or available selection.

Synonym Study

See brood.

Example Sentences

No more scooping litter twice a day, no more cluttering your living room with a clunky litter box.

From Popular-Science

This includes the cat’s routine of stepping into sandy-textured litter, doing its business, and burying the waste.

From Popular-Science

The discs can be covered with kitty litter to make your cat feel at home, perched on top of the toilet.

From Popular-Science

They aren’t texting their litter mates to catch up and swiping around on the furry equivalent of Bumble.

From Popular-Science

This is essentially an extra-strength garbage bag sprinkled with a proprietary mix of kitty litter for humans, which makes your waste solid, less stinky, and OK to deposit in a trash can.

From Outside Online

We coo over how cute our cat is and minimize the drudgery of cleaning the litter box.

From The Daily Beast

According to Swiss press reports, younger cats in the litter are the most tender and, as such, are the preferred cat cuts.

From The Daily Beast

You'd think that when you get the pick of the litter, the litter would be great.

From The Daily Beast

Remember when Chandler was sexually attracted to sharks and Phoebe raised a litter of baby rats?

From The Daily Beast

He would always be throwing litter out the window and I would have to pick it up.

From The Daily Beast

The plain furniture was stiffly arranged, and there was no litter of clothing or small feminine belongings.

From Project Gutenberg

Let my litter be prepared, and send men on horseback to provide relays of carriers every ten miles.

From Project Gutenberg

The exact mode in which the manure is to be managed must greatly depend on whether the supply of litter is large or small.

From Project Gutenberg

There is an old mother hog that has gotten quite wild, and has a litter of young ones with her that are hard to catch.

From Project Gutenberg

A piece of strong iron wire, which lay among the other litter, was inserted in a narrow slot, apparently a crack in the stone.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• clutter
• scatter
• strew