debris

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

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

Although the worst of Harvey’s winds has passed, residents in the hurricane’s path are in for a long few days as water rises, submerging homes, washing debris into storm drains, and delaying emergency responders from reaching calls for help.

— marina koren, The Atlantic, "‘The Rainfall Threat Is Only Beginning’," 26 Aug. 2017
The falling bricks forced one to his knees and under a fire truck and another was buried to his waist with debris.

— mike hendricks and matt campbell, kansascity, "Feds say mistakes contributed to the deaths of two Kansas City firefighters," 24 Aug. 2017
The boat had struck some debris in the river, causing the driver to lose control.

— thomas novelly, The Courier-Journal, "Woman killed in late-night boating crash on Ohio River," 22 Aug. 2017
There is not much to do about this disease at this time other than clean up and discard fallen leaves and fruit as the fungus overwinters on plant debris.

— tim johnson, chicagotribune.com, "Sickly leaves, falling fruit signal common disease in crab apples," 14 Aug. 2017
While Pluto is the biggest object in the ring of icy debris beyond Neptune known as the Kuiper belt, this object with the designation 2014 MU69 is among the smallest.

— kenneth chang, New York Times, "Chasing Shadows for a Glimpse of a Tiny World Beyond Pluto," 8 Aug. 2017
In this June 21, 2017 photo, a raft of garbage and debris stretches across the Monongahela River at the dam and spillway in Fairmont, W.Va., a dozen miles upstream of the drinking water intake for about 100,000 people in northern West Virginia.

— Washington Post, "Water filtration system in West Virginia among the elite," 7 Aug. 2017
Raye explained that the product was supposed to create a layer between her face and her foundation, in order to keep pollutants and debris buildup off her complexion and help prevent breakouts.

— sarah wu, Teen Vogue, "YouTuber Raye Boyce Films How to Apply Peel-Off Foundation Video," 31 July 2017
An ischemic stroke, which accounts for about 87 percent of all strokes, is when blood flow in an artery is blocked by atherosclerotic plaque debris or when a clot of blood originating in another artery, or from the heart, travels to the brain.

— for kentuckyone health, The Courier-Journal, "Where is your nearest stroke care center?," 19 July 2017

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

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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

DEBRIS Defined for Kids

debris

noun de·bris \ də-ˈbrē \

Definition of debris for Students

plural debris \-ˈbrēz\

:the junk or pieces left from something broken down or destroyed

Medical Dictionary

debris

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

medical Definition of debris

plural debris

:organic waste from dead or damaged tissue

a wound obscured by blood and debris
—Emergency Medicine

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DEBRIS Defined for English Language Learners

debris

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