litter

American  

[lit-er] / ˈlɪt ər /

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.

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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 byup ).

   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.

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.

litter British  

/ 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

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

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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

Related Words

See brood.

Other Word Forms

• antilitter adjective
• antilittering adjective
• de-litter verb (used with object)
• litterer noun
• unlittered adjective

Etymology

Origin of litter

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

Example Sentences

The charity said its data since the 1990s showed an increase in balloon litter until 2018, when it reached 69% of the beaches they surveyed.

From BBC

“The market is littered with legacy vendors that could not keep up, so maintaining the pace of relevant innovation will be important.”

From Barron's

An AI-generated video shows a crowd of young - mostly black - men, wearing balaclavas and padded jackets, slipping down a water slide into a dirty swimming pool with litter bobbing on the surface.

From BBC

Punch's mother, perhaps due to it being her first litter or reduced stamina from the summer heat, showed no interest in caring for her young, the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported.

From Barron's

As the beach is a site of special scientific interest for nesting birds, the litter can also prove a hazard for wildlife.

From BBC

Related Words

• clutter
• junk
• muck
• rubbish
• trash