detritus
/dɪˈtraɪtəs/
noun
- Waste material or debris left after something has been broken down or destroyed.
- After the party, there was detritus everywhere: cups, napkins, and streamers.
- The floor was covered with detritus from the old renovation project.
- The river carried detritus from the mountains down to the valley.
- In ecology, dead organic matter such as leaves, bark, and animal remains that decomposes and enriches the soil.
- Fungi and bacteria break down detritus in the forest floor.
- Earthworms feed on detritus and help recycle nutrients.
- The pond's ecosystem depends on detritus from surrounding plants.
- Figuratively, the scattered remains or byproducts of a process, activity, or culture.
- Historians study the detritus of daily life, like old letters and receipts.
- The internet is full of digital detritus from old websites and forgotten posts.
- The abandoned factory left behind a trail of industrial detritus.