noun
C1
Advanced
detritus
Detritus (noun) means Small pieces of rock that have broken away because of ice, a glacier, or erosion.
noun
1
Small pieces of rock that have broken away because of ice, a glacier, or erosion.
2
Waste matter left over from plants or animals that are rotting away.
3
Loose bits and pieces left over from something that has broken down.
"The cutting head removes any chips out of the railhead and restores the required surface shape. The trains also clear up their own detritus as they travel. Neither milling chips nor grinding dust remain on the track."
— Tom Allett, At the cutting edge of NR's track work (2022)
"But of course: no clutter. No newspapers, no renegade scraps of domestic detritus, no rubber bands, paper clips, coupons, pens or pencils, notebooks, magazines. No knives. Where were the knives?"
— Chip Kidd, The Cheese Monkeys (2001)
4
A type of rock made from small bits of older rock, such as sand, pressed and stuck together.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like detritus.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Etymology
A learned borrowing from Latin dētrītus (“(that which is) rubbed away”), from dēterō (“rub away”).
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for detritus
See all rhymes for detritus →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of detritus?
"detritus" (noun) means small pieces of rock that have broken away because of ice, a glacier, or erosion.
What is another word for detritus?
Other words for "detritus" include junk, dust, debris, rubble.
What are the different meanings of detritus?
"detritus" has 3 main meanings: 1. Small pieces of rock that have broken away because of ice, a glacier, or erosion; 2. Waste matter left over from plants or animals that are rotting away; 3. Loose bits and pieces left over from something that has broken down.
