litter
1lit·ter
noun \ˈli-tər\Definition of LITTER
1
a : a covered and curtained couch provided with shafts and used for carrying a single passenger b : a device (as a stretcher) for carrying a sick or injured person
2
a (1) : material used as bedding for animals (2) : material used to absorb the urine and feces of animals b : the uppermost slightly decayed layer of organic matter on the forest floor
3
: the offspring at one birth of a multiparous animal <a litter of puppies>
4
a : trash, wastepaper, or garbage lying scattered about <trying to clean up the roadside litter> b : an untidy accumulation of objects <a shabby writing-desk covered with a litter of yellowish dusty documents — Joseph Conrad>
— lit·tery \-tə-rē\ adjective
Examples of LITTER
- We decided to pick up the litter in the park.
- Her desk was covered with a litter of legal documents.
Origin of LITTER
Middle English, from Anglo-French litere, from lit bed, from Latin lectus — more at lie
First Known Use: 14th century
Related to LITTER
- Synonyms
- agglomerate, agglomeration, alphabet soup, assortment, botch, clutter, collage, crazy quilt, farrago, gallimaufry, grab bag, gumbo, hash, hodgepodge, hotchpotch, jambalaya, jumble, jungle, miscellany, macédoine, medley, mélange, menagerie, miscellanea, mishmash, mixed bag, montage, motley, muddle, olio, olla podrida, omnium-gatherum, pastiche, patchwork, patchwork quilt, potpourri, ragbag, ragout, rummage, salad, salmagundi, scramble, shuffle, smorgasbord, stew, tumble, variety, welter
2litter
verbDefinition of LITTER
transitive verb
1
: bed 1a
2
: to give birth to a litter of (young)
3
a : to strew with scattered articles b : to scatter about in disorder c : to lie about in disorder <their upside-down hats littered the top of the bar — Michael Chabon> d : to mark with objects scattered at random <a book littered with misprints>
intransitive verb
1
: to give birth to a litter
2
: to strew litter
Examples of LITTER
- Paper and popcorn littered the streets after the parade.
- a desk littered with old letters and bills
- It is illegal to litter.
- He had to pay a fine for littering.
First Known Use of LITTER
14th century
Learn More About LITTER
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