debris English · revision 2353

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈdɛbɹi/, /ˈdeɪbɹi/ ''(UK)''; /dəˈbɹiː/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|débris|t=remains, waste]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) from obsolete ''débriser'' “to break to pieces”,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from Old French ''debrisier'',^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995) from ''de-'' and ''brisier'' “to break”,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|la-lat|brisāre]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) probably of Celtic origin,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995) compare [[sga|brisid|t=breaks]].^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The remains of anything broken down or destroyed; rubbish from destructive operations (1708).^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In English the word was first used figuratively, then of ruins and rubble.^(OED 1989) In geology it was applied to any accumulation of loose rock fragments,^(OED 1989)^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) and in biology to the fragmented remains of dead or damaged cells.^(AHD) It can also mean carelessly discarded litter.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1708 – remains of something destroyed; rubbish.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1871 – ''(mining)'' tailings.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1890 – ''debris cone''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The scattered remains of something broken or destroyed; rubble or wreckage.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Discarded refuse; litter.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(geology)'' An accumulation of rock fragments.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(biology)'' The fragmented remains of dead or damaged cells or tissue.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bruise]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}