Detritus

Pronunciation

• IPA: /dɪˈtraɪtÉ™s/

Origin

From Latin detritus ("the act of rubbing away"), from dēterō ("rub away").

Noun

1. (countable, chiefly geological) pieces of rock broken off by ice, glacier, or erosion.
2. (biology) Organic waste material from decomposing dead plants or animals.
3. debris or fragments of disintegrated material2001. "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

Derived terms

• detrital
• detritivore