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

Leaf litter hosts life for hundreds of species: bacteria, ants, mushrooms, shrews. —Marion Renault, The Atlantic, 13 May 2025

But Serai, a Virginia native who moved to the California capital from Miami, has declined any childcare for three litters. —Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 11 May 2025

Verb

Not quite a completionist’s dream Speaking of collectibles, DOOM: The Dark Ages litters them throughout levels, and adds even more. —Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025

The rest of the field is littered with smaller-market clubs, with top seed Oklahoma repping a market with 762,700 TV homes, giving the Thunder 40% of the local reach of the Nuggets and Timberwolves. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 7 May 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