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detritus

 - 5 dictionary results

de⋅tri⋅tus

  [di-trahy-tuhs]
Use detritus in a Sentence
–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.
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. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To detritus
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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Medical Dictionary

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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