detritus

[dih-trahy-tuh s]

noun

rock in small particles or other material worn or broken away from a mass, as by the action of water or glacial ice.

any disintegrated material; debris.

Origin of detritus

1785–95; < French détritus < Latin: a rubbing away, equivalent to dētrī-, variant stem of dēterere to wear down, rub off (de- de- + terere to rub) + -tus suffix of v. action

Related formsde·tri·tal, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for detrital

Historical Examples of detrital

It does not go to increase the great body of detrital deposits.
The Birth-Time of the World and Other Scientific Essays
J. (John) Joly
The margin of this new lake, acting upon the detrital matter, would form the second road.
Fragments of science, V. 1-2
John Tyndall
The slight elevations of sandy "geest" or detrital spurs were limited in area and in time outgrown.
Influences of Geographic Environment
Ellen Churchill Semple
The sides also became less vertical, and there was an accumulation of detrital fragments about their bases.
A Journey in Other Worlds
John Jacob Astor
Trap′-tū′fa, -tuff, a variety of tufa consisting of the detrital matter of trap-rock.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements)
Various

British Dictionary definitions for detrital

detritus

noun

a loose mass of stones, silt, etc, worn away from rocks

an accumulation of disintegrated material or debris

the organic debris formed from the decay of organisms

Derived Formsdetrital, adjective

Word Origin for detritus

C18: from French détritus, from Latin dētrītus a rubbing away; see detriment

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for detrital

detritus

1795, "process of erosion," from Latin detritus "a wearing away," from detri-, stem of detere "wear away" (see detriment). Geological sense of "matter produced by erosion" is 1802, probably from French detritus; incorrect, in any case.

detrital in Medicine