detritus
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detritus
- /dɪˈtɹaɪ.təs/
- /ˈdɛ.tɹɪ.dɪs/
Rhymes with -aɪtəs
Where it comes from
Learned borrowing from Latin dētrītus (“(that which is) rubbed away”), from dēterō (“rub away”).
noun detritus · detrita
- Pieces of rock broken off by ice, glacier, or erosion.
- Organic waste material from decomposing dead plants or animals. Woody detritus is an important component of forested ecosystems. It can reduce erosion and affects soil development, stores nutrients and water, provides a major source of energy and nutrients, and serves as a seedbed for plants and as a major habitat for decomposers and hetereotrophs.
- Any debris or fragments of disintegrated material. 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?
- Rock consisting of accumulated debris from decayed rocks, like sand, that often is joined by cement.
Translations
Talk about this word "detritus." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/detritus. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. detritus. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/detritus "detritus." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/detritus.Cite this
@misc{detritus_2026,
title = {detritus},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/detritus},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
