detritus

[dih-trahy-tuhs]

noun

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

2. any disintegrated material; debris.

detritus

/ dɪˈtraɪtəs /

noun

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

2. an accumulation of disintegrated material or debris

3. the organic debris formed from the decay of organisms

detritus

1. Loose fragments, such as sand or gravel, that have been worn away from rock.

2. Matter produced by the decay or disintegration of an organic substance.

Other Word Forms

• detrital adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of detritus¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of detritus¹

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

Related Words

• rubble