litter

[ lit-er ]

/ ˈlɪt ər /

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See synonyms for: litter / littered / littering 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.

SYNONYMS FOR litter

2 clutter.

9 mess (up).

10 disarrange, derange.

See synonyms for litter on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms for litter

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

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; see -er²

synonym study for litter

3. See brood.

OTHER WORDS FROM litter

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

un·lit·tered, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH litter

letter, lighter, liter, litter

Words nearby litter

litre, Litt. B., Litt. D., litten, Litten's phenomenon, litter, litterae humaniores, littérateur, litteratim, litterbag, litterbug

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for litter

The discs can be covered with kitty litter to make your cat feel at home, perched on top of the toilet.
Toilet training your cat isn’t as great as it sounds|Candice Wang|August 27, 2020|Popular Science
No more scooping litter twice a day, no more cluttering your living room with a clunky litter box.
Toilet training your cat isn’t as great as it sounds|Candice Wang|August 27, 2020|Popular Science
This includes the cat’s routine of stepping into sandy-textured litter, doing its business, and burying the waste.
Toilet training your cat isn’t as great as it sounds|Candice Wang|August 27, 2020|Popular Science
They aren’t texting their litter mates to catch up and swiping around on the furry equivalent of Bumble.
How to help your pet with separation anxiety|Sara Kiley Watson|August 26, 2020|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.
The Best Portable Toilets for Camping|Heather Hansman|August 23, 2020|Outside Online
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
He would always be throwing litter out the window and I would have to pick it up.
How Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig Pulled Off Their Most Dramatic Roles Yet|Kevin Fallon|September 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The plain furniture was stiffly arranged, and there was no litter of clothing or small feminine belongings.
Rosemary in Search of a Father|C. N. Williamson
Let my litter be prepared, and send men on horseback to provide relays of carriers every ten miles.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
The exact mode in which the manure is to be managed must greatly depend on whether the supply of litter is large or small.
Elements of Agricultural Chemistry|Thomas Anderson
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.
The Girls of Central High on the Stage|Gertrude W. Morrison
A piece of strong iron wire, which lay among the other litter, was inserted in a narrow slot, apparently a crack in the stone.
Dope|Sax Rohmer

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

Medical 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

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