litter

1 of 2

noun

lit·​ter ˈli-tər How to pronounce litter (audio)
1
a
: a covered and curtained couch provided with shafts and used for carrying a single passenger
a litter carried on the shoulders of four menEdwin Tunis
b
: a device (such as a stretcher) for carrying a sick or injured person
The wounded soldier was carried to the rear by litter.
2
a(1)
: material used as bedding for animals
Fibrous peat was used as litter for livestock.
(2)
: material used to absorb the urine and feces of animals
b
: the uppermost slightly decayed layer of organic matter on the forest floor
3
: the offspring at one birth of a multiparous animal
a litter of puppies
4
a
: trash, wastepaper, or garbage lying scattered about
trying to clean up the roadside litter
b
: an untidy accumulation of objects
a shabby writing-desk covered with a litter of yellowish dusty documentsJoseph Conrad
littery adjective

Illustration of litter

Illustration of litter
  • litter 1a

litter

2 of 2

verb

littered; littering; litters

transitive verb

1
2
: to give birth to a litter of (young)
3
a
: to strew with scattered articles
b
: to scatter about in disorder
c
: to lie about in disorder
their upside-down hats littered the top of the barMichael Chabon
d
: to mark with objects scattered at random
a book littered with misprints

intransitive verb

1
: to give birth to a litter
2
: to strew litter

Examples of litter in a Sentence

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
Mice also are incredibly proficient at reproducing: Gestation takes just a few weeks, with six to 12 pups per litter and up to eight litters per year. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2024 For example, females born in litters with many males become masculinized, likely from the high testosterone levels in the mother’s uterus. Discover Magazine, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
The ground, too, was littered with thousands of pottery shards. Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2024 Instagram, Telegram and X, among other outlets, are littered with combat clips. Colin Demarest, Axios, 23 Oct. 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

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near litter

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

litter

1 of 2 noun
lit·​ter ˈlit-ər How to pronounce litter (audio)
1
a
: a covered and curtained couch with poles to use for handles that is used for carrying a single passenger
b
: a device (as a stretcher) for carrying a sick or injured person
2
: material spread in areas where farm animals (as cows or chickens) are kept especially to absorb their urine and feces
3
: the young born to an animal at a single time
a litter of puppies
4
: a messy collection of things scattered about : rubbish

litter

2 of 2 verb
1
: to give birth to young
2
a
: to cover with litter
b
: to scatter about in disorder
c
: to lie about in disorder

Medical Definition

litter

1 of 2 noun
lit·​ter ˈlit-ər How to pronounce litter (audio)
1
: a device (as a stretcher) for carrying a sick or injured person
2
: the offspring at one birth of a multiparous animal

litter

2 of 2 transitive verb
: to give birth to a litter of (young)

intransitive verb

: to give birth to a litter

More from Merriam-Webster on litter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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