Fritter

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈfrɪtÉ™/
• US enPR: frÄ­tʹər, IPA: /ˈfrɪtÉš/
• Rhymes: -ɪtÉ™(r)

Origin

From Old French friture

Full definition of fritter

Noun

1. A dish made by deep-frying food coated in batter.
2. A fragment; a shred; a small piece.
• HudibrasAnd cut whole giants into fritters.

Derived terms

• apple fritter
• corn fritter
• French fritter
• fritter batter
• fritterware
• oyster fritter
• rice fritter
• spam fritter

Verb

1. (intransitive, often with about or around) To occupy oneself idly or without clear purpose, to tinker with an unimportant part of a project, to dally, sometimes as a form of procrastination.I was supposed to do work, but I frittered around all afternoon.He can’t figure out how to finish the paper he’s writing, so he’s resorted to frittering with the fonts.
2. (transitive) To sinter.
3. (transitive) To cut (meat etc.) into small pieces for frying.
4. (transitive) To break into small pieces or fragments.
• Alexander PopeBreak all nerves, and fritter all their sense.

Derived terms

• fritter away
• frittered
• fritterer
• frittering