fritter

¹

[ frit-er ]

verb (used with object)

1. to squander or disperse piecemeal; waste little by little (usually followed by away ):

   to fritter away one's money; to fritter away an afternoon.

   Synonyms: dissipate

2. to break or tear into small pieces or shreds.

verb (used without object)

1. to dwindle, shrink, degenerate, etc. (often followed by away ):

   to watch one's fortune fritter away.

2. to separate or break into fragments:

   a plastic material having a tendency to fritter.

noun

1. a small piece, fragment, or shred.

fritter

²

[ frit-er ]

noun

1. a small cake of batter, sometimes containing corn, fruit, clams, or some other ingredient, fried in deep fat or sautéed.

fritter

¹

/ ˈfrɪtə /

verb

1. usually foll by away to waste or squander

   to fritter away time

2. to break or tear into small pieces; shred

noun

1. a small piece; shred

fritter

²

/ ˈfrɪtə /

noun

1. a piece of food, such as apple or clam, that is dipped in batter and fried in deep fat

Derived Forms

• ˈfritterer, noun

Other Words From

• fritter·er noun
• un·frittered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fritter¹

1720–30; earlier fitter, derivative of fit ( Old English fitt ) a part

Origin of fritter²

1350–1400; Middle English friture, frytour < Old French friture < Late Latin frīctūra a frying, equivalent to Latin frict ( us ), past participle of frīgere to fry ¹ + -ūra -ure

Word History and Origins

Origin of fritter¹

C18: probably from obsolete fitter to break into small pieces, ultimately from Old English fitt a piece

Origin of fritter²

C14: from Old French friture, from Latin frictus fried, roasted, from frīgere to fry, parch

Example Sentences

There’s a cup of coffee, a glass of orange juice and a fresh-baked apple fritter, all of which go undisturbed throughout the day.

From Los Angeles Times

And I stuck in a morsel of apple fritter wrapped in waxed paper.

From Literature

She stuck her nose in the apple fritter and handed it over to Mona, who was hovering.

From Literature

We were all three dashed against the far wall of the drawer in a tangle of Camilla’s handkerchiefs and the leftover apple fritter.

From Literature

They’d find crumbs of apple fritter in our drawer.

From Literature

Related Words

• dissipate
• lavish
• misspend
• squander