Noun
We decided to pick up the litter in the park.
Her desk was covered with a litter of legal documents. Verb
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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Across the cave system, stalactites broken off by vibrations from train construction litter the ground like rubble following an earthquake.—Teresa De Miguel, Megan Janetsky, and Rodrigo Abd, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 May 2024 The helicopter arrived at about 3:40 p.m., and the man was placed in a litter before being airlifted to a hospital, rescuers said.—Daniella Segura, Miami Herald, 28 May 2024
Verb
Sidewalks are littered with empty drug vials and used syringes.—Jessica Gallagher, New York Times, 3 June 2024 In the aftermath of the storm, mounds of broken wood from homes, branches, car parts and other debris littered lots where homes once stood.—Hannah Fingerhut, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for litter
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'litter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English, from Anglo-French litere, from lit bed, from Latin lectus — more at lie
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