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detritus

 - 6 dictionary results

de⋅tri⋅tus

  [di-trahy-tuhs]
–noun
1. rock in small particles or other material worn or broken away from a mass, as by the action of water or glacial ice.
2. any disintegrated material; debris.
Use detritus in a Sentence
Origin:
1785–95; < F détritus < L: a rubbing away, equiv. to dētrī-, var. s. of dēterere to wear down, rub off (de- de- + terere to rub) + -tus suffix of v. action

Related forms:
de⋅tri⋅tal, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
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de·tri·tus   (dĭ-trī'təs)   
n.   pl. detritus

  1. Loose fragments or grains that have been worn away from rock.

    1. Disintegrated or eroded matter: the detritus of past civilizations.

    2. Accumulated material; debris: "Poems, engravings, press releases—he eagerly scrutinizes the detritus of fame" (Carlin Romano).


[French détritus, from Latin dētrītus, from past participle of dēterere, to lessen, wear away; see detriment.]
de·tri'tal (-trīt'l) adj.
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

detritus 
1795, "process of erosion," from L. detritus "a wearing away," from detri-, stem of detere "wear away" (see detriment). Geological sense of "matter produced by erosion" is 1802, probably from Fr. detritus; incorrect, in any case.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: de·tri·tus
Pronunciation: di-'trIt-&s
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural de·tri·tus /-'trIt-&s, -'trI-"tüs/
: loose material resulting from disintegration (as of tissue)
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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detritus de·tri·tus (dĭ-trī'təs)
n. pl. detritus
Loose matter resulting from the wearing away or disintegration of a tissue or substance.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Science Dictionary
detritus   (dĭ-trī'təs)  Pronunciation Key 

  1. Loose fragments, such as sand or gravel, that have been worn away from rock.

  2. Matter produced by the decay or disintegration of an organic substance.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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