# debris

/dəˈbɹi/ (US) · /dˈɛbɹiː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/debris
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. scattered remains

noun · CEFR B2

the broken pieces that are left after something is destroyed or damaged.

For teachers: the scattered fragments or wreckage of something that has been demolished, destroyed, or broken down.

- After the storm, the garden was covered in debris from the fallen trees.
- Emergency crews worked through the night to clear the debris from the collapsed bridge, searching for any signs of survivors beneath the twisted metal.

Usage: This noun is uncountable and does not take a plural 's'.

### 2. litter or waste

noun · CEFR B2

pieces of waste or trash that are scattered in a place.

For teachers: discarded refuse or litter found in a particular environment.

- Volunteers spent the weekend picking up plastic debris from the local beach.
- The accumulation of orbital debris poses a significant threat to active satellites and future space exploration missions.

Usage: Often used in environmental contexts like 'space debris' or 'marine debris'.

### 3. geological fragments

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

rocks and dirt left behind by a glacier or a landslide.

For teachers: an accumulation of loose rock fragments or organic matter, often deposited by geological processes like glaciation.

- The melting glacier left behind a huge pile of rocky debris in the valley.
- The landslide deposited a massive fan of debris at the base of the mountain, blocking the river and creating a natural dam.

## Examples

- The workers cleared the debris from the road after the storm.
- Rescue teams searched through the debris of the collapsed building for any signs of survivors.
- Following the landslide, the valley floor was buried under several meters of rocky debris, fundamentally altering the course of the river and the local ecosystem.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.