debris

or dé·bris

[ duh-bree, dey-breeor, especially British, deb-ree ]

noun

1. the remains of anything broken down or destroyed; ruins; rubble:

   the debris of buildings after an air raid.

   Synonyms: trash, litter, detritus

2. Geology. an accumulation of loose fragments of rock.

debris

/ ˈdɛbrɪ; ˈdeɪbrɪ /

noun

1. fragments or remnants of something destroyed or broken; rubble
2. a collection of loose material derived from rocks, or an accumulation of animal or vegetable matter

Word History and Origins

Origin of debris¹

First recorded in 1700–10; from French débris, Middle French debris, derivative of debriser “to break up (into pieces),” Old French debrisier, from de- de- + brisier “to break” ( bruise )

Word History and Origins

Origin of debris¹

C18: from French, from obsolete debrisier to break into pieces, from bruisier to shatter, of Celtic origin

Example Sentences

Wiltshire Police is urging residents to only call 999 in an emergency, and is signposting those who wish to report obstructions and debris on roads to local authorities or National Highways.

From BBC

The service has warned of difficult travelling conditions, as well as fallen trees and debris.

From BBC

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the property was hit by flood water and debris and suffered "substantial" damage.

From BBC

In Denbighshire, north Wales, five adults and five children were rescued from a house flooded with debris following a landslide on Saturday.

From BBC

Stephan's Quintet represents "a galactic crossroad where past collisions between galaxies have left behind a complex field of debris," which has now been reawakened by the passage of the galaxy, NGC 7318b.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• detritus
• junk
• remains
• rubbish
• rubble
• trash
• wreck
• wreckage