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

He was lying, bruised and shaken, among the heaped-up débris of a ruined building.

From Project Gutenberg

The débris overwhelmed a village and many detached houses, and partly filled a considerable lake.

From Project Gutenberg

Acting on the débris, this gas-charged water rapidly brings about a decay of the fragments.

From Project Gutenberg

He stands on the surface of the soil, that débris of the rocks which is just entering on its way to the ocean.

From Project Gutenberg

In this section we can see how the progressive melting gradually brings the rocky débris into plain view.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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