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detriment

 - 4 dictionary results

det⋅ri⋅ment

  [de-truh-muhnt]
Use detriment in a Sentence
–noun
1. loss, damage, disadvantage, or injury.
2. a cause of loss or damage.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME (< MF) < L dētrīmentum loss, damage, equiv. to dētrī- (see detritus ) + -mentum -ment

Synonyms:
1. See damage.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To detriment
det·ri·ment   (dět'rə-mənt)   
n.  

  1. Damage, harm, or loss: took a long leave of absence without detriment to her career. See Synonyms at disadvantage.

  2. Something that causes damage, harm, or loss: Smoking is now considered a detriment to good health.


[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin dētrīmentum, from dētrītus, past participle of dēterere, to lessen, wear down : dē-, de- + terere, to rub; see terə-1 in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

detriment 
c.1440, from L. detrimentum, from detri-, stem of detere "wear away," from de- "away" + terere "to rub, wear." Metaphoric sense of "impair" was present in classical L.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: det·ri·ment
Pronunciation: 'de-tr&-m&nt
Function: noun
1 : INJURY, LOSS; also : the cause of an injury or loss
2 : a giving up of a thing or mode of conduct to which one is entitled that constitutes consideration for a contract called also legal detriment —det·ri·men·tal /"de-tr&-'men-t&l/ adjective —det·ri·men·tal·ly adverb
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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