detritus

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "detritus" is correct and usable in written English.
It is a noun that refers to the pieces of waste or debris that result from some type of disintegration. For example, you could say, "After the storm, a layer of detritus was left scattered across the beach."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The trenches were littered with the detritus of war – bullet casings, scraps of uniform and empty food tins.

The Guardian

Eschewing the staid, overly styled images of the genre, his blog (theselby.com) is as much about homeowners – their holey jumpers and all – as about their covetable apartments, houses and cabins, which are often filled with piles of books, artistic detritus and the normal signs of habitation.

The Guardian - Travel

How long will it take you to join us in cleaning up the strange detritus of our shared past?

The Guardian - Opinion

Transporting heavy building materials across dirt streets riven with gullies and piled high with detritus is not easy, and theft of building materials is commonplace in Kibera.

The Guardian

As ever, it is events on the pitch that will ultimately decide whether the new broom can sweep away the detritus of the previous regime.

The Guardian - Sport

With their mountains of unwashed coffee cups and other detritus, both rooms display a reassuring indifference to order.

The Guardian - Books

Perez claims he was bent over in front of the bench and a piece of detritus.

The Guardian

Issued by Domestic – a hub for exploratory, leftfield music housing the likes of Mink Freud and Hektagon – it is the amalgam of cultural detritus and dream sequences from one young man's childhood, projected through a science-fiction approach to electronic music-making.

The Guardian - Music

Reading about the fibres sufferers believed were the byproduct of some weird parasite, but which were dismissed by dermatologists as humdrum environmental detritus, he thought, "But this should be easy to figure out".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Whether run manually or otherwise, simple uninstall programs (including the one built into Windows) can still leave a lot of detritus in the operating system's registry.

The Economist

The ferry across to Miaohe passes through polystyrene fragments and other scattered detritus accumulating behind the dam.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "detritus", consider the context. It is best used to describe a collection of discarded or waste materials, not a single item.

Common error

Avoid using "detritus" to refer to something singular or well-organized. It implies scattered and broken-down remnants.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "detritus" is that of a noun. It is used to name material resulting from erosion or disintegration, often organic matter or waste. Ludwig examples show its use across various contexts, confirming its noun status.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Formal & Business

32%

Science

32%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "detritus" is a grammatically sound noun widely used to describe waste or decaying matter, particularly in formal settings. Ludwig's analysis reveals its frequent appearance in news, business, and scientific contexts. While synonyms like "debris" and "rubbish" exist, "detritus" carries a specific connotation of scattered remnants, often organic. Ludwig AI confirms the word's correctness and usability, solidifying its place in sophisticated English vocabulary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

debris

Focuses on general scattered remains or fragments resulting from destruction or disintegration.

rubbish

Emphasizes unwanted or worthless matter that is rejected or thrown away.

litter

Highlights scattered waste products left lying on the surface in a public or open space.

waste

Refers to discarded materials that are no longer useful or required.

refuse

Indicates something that is discarded as worthless or useless; garbage.

wreckage

Specifically denotes the remains of something that has been badly damaged or destroyed.

residue

Implies a small amount of something remaining after a process has been completed or removed.

rubble

Highlights rough, broken pieces of stone, brick, or other material, especially as the debris from the demolition of buildings.

salvage

This refers to rescuing or recovering materials, but when combined with "from", it often alludes to remnants.

trash

Informal term for unwanted or discarded items.

FAQs

How can I use "detritus" in a sentence?

You can use "detritus" to describe scattered debris or waste material, such as "The beach was covered in "marine detritus" after the storm".

What's the difference between "detritus" and "debris"?

"Detritus" often refers to decomposing organic matter or waste, while "debris" is a more general term for scattered fragments or remains.

What are some synonyms for "detritus"?

Synonyms for "detritus" include "rubbish", "litter", "waste", and "refuse", each carrying slightly different connotations.

Is "detritus" a formal word?

Yes, "detritus" is generally considered a formal word and is suitable for academic, scientific, or professional writing, as shown by Ludwig.