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   litter

   /ˈlɪtə/

   noun

   • 1. rubbish such as paper, cans, and bottles left lying in an open or public place: "always clear up after a picnic and never drop litter" Similar refusejunkwastedebrisodds and endsscrapsleavingsfragmentsdetritusflotsamdiscarded matterdrossmuckrubbishtrashgarbage
   • ▪ an untidy collection of things lying about: "a litter of sleeping bags on the floor" Similar clutterjumblemuddlemesstangleheapdisorderuntidinessconfusionhotchpotchdisarraydisorganizationdisarrangementturmoilinformal:shamblesrare:olla podrida
   • 2. a number of young animals born to an animal at one time: "a litter of five kittens" Similar broodfamilyyoungoffspringprogenyissuerare:progeniture
   • 3. absorbent material, typically in granular form, used to line a shallow receptacle in which a cat can urinate and defecate when indoors: "a plastic litter tray"
   • 4. straw or other plant matter used as bedding for animals: "the plant burns discarded litter from poultry farms" Similar animal beddingbeddingstrawfloor covering
   • ▪ decomposing but recognizable leaves and other debris forming a layer on top of the soil, especially in forests: "the spiders live in leaf litter"
   • 5. a structure used to transport people, containing a bed or seat enclosed by curtains and carried on men's shoulders or by animals. historical Similar sedan chairpalanquinstretcherportable bed/couch
   • ▪ a framework with a couch for transporting sick or wounded people.

   verb

   • 1. make (a place or area) untidy with rubbish or a large number of objects left lying about: "clothes and newspapers littered the floor"
   • ▪ leave (rubbish or a number of objects) lying untidily in a place: "there was broken glass littered about"
   • ▪ fill with examples of a particular thing, typically something bad or unpleasant: "news pages have been littered with doom and gloom about company collapses"
   • 2. provide (a horse or other animal) with litter as bedding. archaic

   Word Origin Middle English (in litter (sense 5 of the noun)): from Old French litiere, from medieval Latin lectaria, from Latin lectus ‘bed’. Sense 1 dates from the mid 18th century.

   Scrabble Points: 6

   • L

     1

   • I

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   • T

     1

   • T

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   • E

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   • R

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