See Also: detritus(medicine)
detritus(dictionary)
detritus(dictionary)

detritus (iou)



detritus noun. L18.
[Latin detritus rubbing away, from detri-: see DETRIMENT. In sense 2 after French detritus.]
1. Wearing away by rubbing; disintegration. L18-E19.
2. Matter produced by detrition; esp. material eroded or washed away, as gravel, sand, silt, etc. E19.
3. Debris of any kind. M19.
S. Brett The detritus of coffee-cups, publicity photographs and handouts that littered her desk.
detritic adjective (rare) = DETRITAL M19.