fritter

1 of 2

noun

frit·​ter ˈfri-tər How to pronounce fritter (audio)
: a small mass of fried or sautéed batter often containing fruit or meat

fritter

2 of 2

verb

frittered; frittering; fritters

transitive verb

1
: to spend or waste bit by bit, on trifles, or without commensurate return
usually used with away
2
: to break into small fragments
fritterer noun

Examples of fritter in a Sentence

Noun she loves eating corn fritters with maple syrup Verb quit frittering away the afternoon playing video games and get some housework done!
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
What to expect: An approachable menu with Midwest supper club fare, like pork chops, lake trout and wild rice fritters, all using the farm-to-table ingredients Tomlinson's dishes have become known for. Audrey Kennedy, Axios, 16 Oct. 2024 Beloved by locals and travelers alike, this strip is home to some of The Bahamas’ signature eats, including conch — in my opinion, best enjoyed in fritter or salad form. Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2024
Verb
The Ravens extended their margin rather than fritter it away. Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 1 Jan. 2024 Meanwhile, party gal Wren is busy smoking, binge drinking and fighting at night, as well as frittering her days away behind the counter at a stationery store (the only clever aspect of her character, who is physically and emotionally stationary in life). Courtney Howard, Variety, 18 Oct. 2023 See all Example Sentences for fritter 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fritter.' 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

Middle English fritour, from Anglo-French friture, from Vulgar Latin *frictura, from Latin frictus, past participle of frigere to roast

Verb

fritter, noun (fragment, shred)

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1728, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fritter was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near fritter

Cite this Entry

“Fritter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fritter. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

fritter

1 of 2 noun
frit·​ter ˈfrit-ər How to pronounce fritter (audio)
: a small lump of fried batter often containing fruit or meat

fritter

2 of 2 verb
: to spend or use up bit by bit especially on worthless things
usually used with away
frittered away his savings
fritterer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fritter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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