litter

[ lit-er ]

/ ˈlɪt ər /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR litter ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

objects strewn or scattered about; scattered rubbish.

a condition of disorder or untidiness: We were appalled at the litter of the room.

a number of young brought forth by a multiparous animal at one birth: a litter of six kittens.

a framework of cloth stretched between two parallel bars, for the transportation of a sick or wounded person; stretcher.

a vehicle carried by people or animals, consisting of a bed or couch, often covered and curtained, suspended between shafts.

straw, hay, or the like, used as bedding for animals or as protection for plants.

the layer of slightly decomposed organic material on the surface of the floor of the forest.

cat litter.

verb (used with object)

to strew (a place) with scattered objects, rubbish, etc.: to be fined for littering the sidewalk.

to scatter (objects) in disorder: They littered their toys from one end of the playroom to the other.

to be strewn about (a place) in disorder (often followed by up): Bits of paper littered the floor.

to give birth to (young), as a multiparous animal.

to supply (an animal) with litter for a bed.

to use (straw, hay, etc.) for litter.

to cover (a floor or other area) with straw, hay, etc., for litter.

verb (used without object)

to give birth to a litter: The cat had littered in the closet.

to strew objects about: If you litter, you may be fined.

Nearby words

litt.m., littb, littd, litten, litten's phenomenon, litter, litter lout, litterae humaniores, litterateur, litteratim, litterbag

Idioms

pick of the litter,

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

Origin of litter

1250–1300; Middle English litere bed, litter < Anglo-French; Old French litiere < Medieval Latin lectāria, equivalent to Latin lect(us) bed + -āria feminine of -ārius -er²

SYNONYMS FOR litter

2 clutter.

9 mess (up).

10 disarrange, derange.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR litter ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

lit·ter·er, nounan·ti·lit·ter, adjectivean·ti·lit·ter·ing, adjectivede-lit·ter, verb (used with object)

un·lit·tered, adjective

Can be confusedletter lighter liter litter

Synonym study

3. See brood.

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

Examples from the Web for litter

We coo over how cute our cat is and minimize the drudgery of cleaning the litter box.
Why Didn’t Camille Dump Bill Cosby?|Amanda Marcotte|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
According to Swiss press reports, younger cats in the litter are the most tender and, as such, are the preferred cat cuts.
Will the Swiss Quit Cooking their Kittens and Puppies?|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
You'd think that when you get the pick of the litter, the litter would be great.
Clooney: A Constant Charmer at the Altar|Tim Teeman|September 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Remember when Chandler was sexually attracted to sharks and Phoebe raised a litter of baby rats?
15 Times ‘Friends’ Was Really, Really Weird|Kevin Fallon|September 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Bucking and running into the forest, the deer collapsed dead in a litter of leaves.
Inside The Growing Organic Halal Movement|Sharon Adarlo|September 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Having rested for two days we again moved forward, Mrs. Baker being carried on a litter.
In the Heart of Africa|Samuel White Baker
At the next dlitement the first net is found under the litter.
The Insect World|Louis Figuier
Cinna gave command to carry the litter nearer the place of torment.
Let us follow Him|Henryk Sienkiewicz
Natasha runs across the warm planks, as yet unswept of dust and litter.
The Old House and Other Tales|Feodor Sologub
Then, with a pine branch, he swept out the place, cleaned the bunk thoroughly and cleared the litter from the floors.
Louisiana Lou|William West Winter

British Dictionary definitions for litter

litter

/ (ˈlɪtə) /

noun

small refuse or waste materials carelessly dropped, esp in public places
(as modifier)litter bin

a disordered or untidy condition or a collection of objects in this condition

a group of offspring produced at one birth by a mammal such as a sow

a layer of partly decomposed leaves, twigs, etc, on the ground in a wood or forest

straw, hay, or similar material used as bedding, protection, etc, by animals or plants

See cat litter

a means of conveying people, esp sick or wounded people, consisting of a light bed or seat held between parallel sticks

verb

to make (a place) untidy by strewing (refuse)

to scatter (objects, etc) about or (of objects) to lie around or upon (anything) in an untidy fashion

(of pigs, cats, etc) to give birth to (offspring)

(tr) to provide (an animal or plant) with straw or hay for bedding, protection, etc

Word Origin for litter

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

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 litter (1 of 2)

litter

c.1300, "a bed," also "bed-like vehicle carried on men's shoulders" (early 14c.), from Anglo-French litere "portable bed," Old French litiere "litter, stretcher, bier; straw, bedding," from Medieval Latin lectaria "litter" (altered in French by influence of lit "bed"), from Latin lectus "bed, couch," from PIE *legh-to-, from root *legh- "to lie" (see lie (v.2)).

Meaning extended early 15c. to "straw used for bedding" (early 14c. in Anglo-French) and late 15c. to "offspring of an animal at one birth" (in one bed); sense of "scattered oddments, disorderly debris" is first attested 1730, probably from Middle English verb literen "provide with bedding" (late 14c.), with notion of strewing straw. Litter by 19c. had come to mean both the straw bedding and the animal waste in it after use.

Word Origin and History for litter (1 of 2)

litter

late 14c., "provide with bedding," from litter (n.). Meaning "to strew with objects" is from 1713. Transitive sense of "to scatter in a disorderly way" is from 1731. Related: Littered; littering.

Medicine definitions for litter

litter

[ lĭt′ər ]

n.

A flat supporting framework, such as a piece of canvas stretched between parallel shafts, for carrying a disabled or dead person; a stretcher.

The offspring produced at one birth by a multiparous mammal.brood

litter

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

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Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of litter

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for litter

British Dictionary definitions for litter

litter

noun

verb

Word Origin for litter

Word Origin and History for litter (1 of 2)

litter

Word Origin and History for litter (1 of 2)

litter

Medicine definitions for litter

litter

n.