detritus

noun

de·​tri·​tus di-ˈtrī-təs How to pronounce detritus (audio)
plural detritus di-ˈtrī-təs How to pronounce detritus (audio)
-ˈtrī-ˌtüs
1
geology : loose material (such as rock fragments or organic particles) that results directly from disintegration
2
a
: a product of disintegration, destruction, or wearing away : debris
b
: miscellaneous remnants : odds and ends
still picking up detritus from the block party
… sifting through the detritus of his childhood …Michael Tomasky
detrital adjective

Did you know?

If you use detritus in speech, remember to stress the second syllable, as you do in the words arthritis and bronchitis. Once you've mastered its meaning and pronunciation, you’ll find that detritus is a term—originally a geology term referring to loose material, such as broken rock fragments, resulting from disintegration—that can be applied in many situations. After the first hard freeze of fall, gardens are littered with the detritus of summer’s plants and produce: stalks, leaves, vines, and maybe even an abandoned hand trowel. As a flood-swollen river retreats to its banks, it leaves detritus—debris gathered by the raging waters—in its wake. The detritus of civilization may include junkyards and abandoned buildings, while mental detritus may include all kinds of useless trivia. (We’re not saying it qualifies as such, but detritus comes from the Latin root deterere, meaning “to wear away, impair.”)

Did you know?

How Do You Pronounce detritus?

After the first hard freeze of fall, gardens are sadly littered with the detritus of the summer's plants and produce: stalks, leaves, vines, rotted vegetables, and maybe even a hand trowel left behind. As the flooding Mississippi River retreats back to its ordinary course, it leaves detritus behind in its wake, debris gathered from everywhere by the raging waters. The detritus of civilization may include junkyards and abandoned buildings; mental detritus may include all kinds of useless trivia. Notice how this word is pronounced; for some reason, people often try to accent the first syllable rather than the second.

Examples of detritus in a Sentence

the detritus of ancient civilizations As he packed, he sifted through the detritus of a failed relationship.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But its detritus remains, giving rise to streaks that wow sky watchers every August. Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 11 Aug. 2025 Some feed on other small living matter like algae, plankton, arthropods, and other worms, while others simply eat detritus: loose, dead organic material in the sediment. Owen Clarke, Outside, 11 Aug. 2025 Should nature call, there are shovel-ready handlers to remove the detritus. Kathy Berdan, Twin Cities, 27 July 2025 Beyond the gate there’s a floating coagulation of detritus. ¶ Sebastopol The occasional aberration forms in the air. Ariel Saramandi, The Dial, 29 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for detritus

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French détritus, borrowed from Latin dētrītus, past participle of dēterere "to wear away, impair," from dē- de- + terere "to rub, grind, wear down" — more at trite

First Known Use

1802, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of detritus was in 1802

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Cite this Entry

“Detritus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detritus. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

detritus

noun
de·​tri·​tus di-ˈtrīt-əs How to pronounce detritus (audio)
plural detritus
-ˈtrīt-əs,
-ˈtrī-tüs
1
: loose material that results directly from the natural breaking up of rocks
2
: a product of disintegration or wearing away

Medical Definition

detritus

noun
de·​tri·​tus di-ˈtrīt-əs How to pronounce detritus (audio)
: loose material resulting from disintegration (as of tissue)

More from Merriam-Webster on detritus

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