wreckage

[rek-ij]

noun

1. act of wrecking; wrecking; state of being wrecked.

2. remains or fragments of something that has been wrecked.

   They searched the wreckage for survivors.

wreckage

/ ˈrɛkɪdʒ /

noun

1. same as wreck

2. the act of wrecking or the state of being wrecked; ruin or destruction

Word History and Origins

Origin of wreckage¹

First recorded in 1830–40; wreck + -age

Example Sentences

At the crash site, Indian authorities initially wouldn’t let American investigators take their own photos of the wreckage, according to people familiar with the matter.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

From the time the Antikythera wreck was first discovered, those who have seen it firsthand have been impressed with the amount of wreckage and how large the ancient sunken vessel seems to have been.

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The bodies of the three people on board were recovered soon after the crash but the wreckage was left.

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Images from the scene show emergency services on site and what appears to be wreckage from the plane.

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Many were stranded on rooftops and hills, surrounded by the water and wreckage left behind by the tsunami.

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Related Words

• debris 
• rubble 
• wreck