litter

1 of 2

noun

lit·​ter ˈli-tər 

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 men

—Edwin 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 documents

—Joseph Conrad

littery

ˈli-tə-rē 

adjective

Illustration of litter

• litter 1a

litter

2 of 2

verb

littered; littering; litters

transitive verb

1

: bed sense 1a

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 bar

—Michael 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

Synonyms

Noun

• agglomerate
• agglomeration
• alphabet soup
• assortment
• botch
• clutter
• collage
• crazy quilt
• farrago
• gallimaufry
• grab bag
• gumbo
• hash
• hodgepodge
• hotchpotch
• jambalaya
• jumble
• jungle
• macédoine
• medley
• mélange
• menagerie
• miscellanea
• miscellany
• mishmash
• mixed bag
• montage
• motley
• muddle
• olio
• olla podrida
• omnium-gatherum
• pastiche
• patchwork
• patchwork quilt
• potpourri
• ragbag
• ragout
• rummage
• salad
• salmagundi
• scramble
• shuffle
• smorgasbord
• stew
• tumble
• variety
• welter

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

Join volunteers cleaning up litter and debris around the lake, hiking trails and public areas, and participate in discussions on sustainability and protecting the environment. —News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2025

More than 300 streetlights were improved or added, 40 police cameras were installed, 180 tons of litter and dumping were cleaned up, and 17,688 linear feet of sidewalks were added, among other improvements. —Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2025

Verb

In a year littered with difficult ballot choices, Pritchard was a relatively easy one. —John Hollinger, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025

Outside the building, footage from Reuters showed charred vehicles next to piles of rubble and personal belongings littering the street. —Rosa Rahimi, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2025

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

Phrases Containing litter

• anti-litter
• litter bin
• litter box
• litter tray
• the pick of the litter

Rhymes for litter

• bitter
• critter
• fitter
• fritter
• glitter
• hitter
• jitter
• knitter
• quitter
• ritter
• splitter
• titter

Kids Definition

litter

1 of 2 noun

lit·​ter ˈlit-ər 

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 

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