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detritus

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Detritus is defined as a small loose pieces of rock that have worn or broken off, or any debris or disintegrated material.

(noun)

An example of detritus is small pieces of shale broken off by erosion.
An example of detritus is the leaves that have fallen from a tree in winter.

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See detritus in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

fragments of rock produced by disintegration, abrasion, etc.
any debris

Origin: L, a rubbing away: see detriment

Related Forms:

detrital adjective

See detritus in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. detritus

Loose fragments or grains that have been worn away from rock.
a. Disintegrated or eroded matter: the detritus of past civilizations.
b. Accumulated material; debris: “Poems, engravings, press releases—he eagerly scrutinizes the detritus of fame” (Carlin Romano).

Origin:

Origin: French détritus

Origin: , from Latin dētrītus

Origin: , from

Origin: past participle of dēterere, to lessen, wear away; see detriment

.

Related Forms:

de·triˈtal (-trītˈl) adjective

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