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

The article reports that -- contrary to popular belief -- massive multiplayer online gamers learn by gaming and their skills in the workplace are enriched by those seemingly endless hours previously thought of as frittering away time.

From Science Daily

England had the benefit of winning the toss in the third Test, then frittered it away.

From BBC

One of the offerings: takoyaki, sold next to a colorful poster that explains takoyaki is a “beloved Japanese street food … fritters with a variety of delicious toppings.”

From Los Angeles Times

In reality, it was money "frittered away" by their daughter.

From BBC

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

Related Words

• dissipate
• lavish
• misspend
• squander