debris

noun de·bris \ də-ˈbrē , dā-ˈ , ˈdā-ˌ , British usually ˈde-(ˌ)brē \

|Updated on: 9 Jun 2018

Examples: debris in a Sentence

Definition of debris

plural debris play \-ˈbrēz, -ˌbrēz\

1 : the remains of something broken down or destroyed

digging through the storm's debris in search of survivors

sifted through the debris of her broken marriage

2 geology : an accumulation of fragments of rock

3 : something discarded : rubbish

picking up debris after the parade

See debris defined for English-language learners

See debris defined for kids

Examples of debris in a Sentence

After the earthquake, rescuers began digging through the debris in search of survivors.
Everything was covered by dust and debris.

Recent Examples of debris from the Web

Meanwhile, the canals gradually filled up with sticks, logs and other debris.

— john fialka, Scientific American, "A Wyoming Reservation Shows the New Face of Drought," 6 June 2018
While checking out where debris had been left on the field, police discovered that three small fires had been set, causing burn marks in the grass.

— robert a. cronkleton and pete grathoff, kansascity, "Woman allegedly wanders around Kauffman Stadium for a day, sets small fires," 6 June 2018
Rescuers used sledgehammers to break through the roofs of houses buried in debris up to their rooflines to check for anyone trapped inside.

— sonia perez d., Fox News, "Only a few of Guatemala volcano's dead have been identified," 5 June 2018
Dirt and debris caved in on the worker, trapping him inside the hole at North Chester Street and Sinclair Lane.

— christina tkacik, baltimoresun.com, "Baltimore Fire Department working to rescue worker from trench at Clifton Park," 5 June 2018
Its precipitous edge shed not only tons of rocky debris but gargantuan blocks of ice.

— william j. broad, New York Times, "How the Ice Age Shaped New York," 5 June 2018
The keys, frankly, are also far more sensitive to debris.

— gordon mah ung, PCWorld, "Cooler Master's MK851 keyboard wants to kill your gamepad with native analog controls," 5 June 2018
Open bodies of water change where debris is floating and areas become deeper.

— helena oliviero, ajc, "The rain may be over, but Lake Lanier remains unsafe for swimmers," 5 June 2018
Scientists have estimated that there are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the world’s ocean.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Whale Dies in Thailand With 80 Plastic Bags in Its Stomach," 5 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'debris.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of debris

French débris, from Middle French, from debriser to break to pieces, from Old French debrisier, from de- + brisier to break, of Celtic origin; akin to Old Irish brisid he breaks; perhaps akin to Latin fricare to rub — more at friction

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First Known Use: 1708

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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debris Synonyms

DEBRIS Defined for English Language Learners

debris

noun

Definition of debris for English Language Learners

: the pieces that are left after something has been destroyed
: things (such as broken pieces and old objects) that are lying where they fell or that have been left somewhere because they are not wanted