flotsam

[ flot-suhm ]

noun

1. the part of the wreckage of a ship and its cargo found floating on the water. Compare jetsam, lagan.
2. material or refuse floating on water.
3. useless or unimportant items; odds and ends.
4. a vagrant, penniless population:

   the flotsam of the city slums in medieval Europe.

flotsam

/ ˈflɒtsəm /

noun

1. wreckage from a ship found floating Compare jetsam lagan
2. useless or discarded objects; odds and ends (esp in the phrase flotsam and jetsam )
3. vagrants

Word History and Origins

Origin of flotsam¹

1600–10; < Anglo-French floteson, derivative of floter to float < Old English flotian

Word History and Origins

Origin of flotsam¹

C16: from Anglo-French floteson , from floter to float

Example Sentences

It pitched left, then right, then the rudder was wrenched from his grasp; and now he was no longer a helmsman but a stunned passenger on a bit of flotsam at the mercy of the rampaging water.

From Literature

"It was impossible not to conclude," he later wrote, that for Powell "the struggle was about achieving long-term objectives, not simply a mastery of the flotsam and jetsam of current events".

From BBC

Though I’ve never been a morning person, I’ve been waking at 5 a.m., thoughts churning in my head like flotsam.

From New York Times

Moreover, Musk’s unbanning of previously banned bad posters has resulted in some truly vile flotsam returning to the platform.

From Slate

Even though Polk was severely injured, Faulkingham said, he was safe and felt God was watching as flotsam and jetsam from his boat was pushed ashore.

From Seattle Times