Meaning & use

litter

noun·Everyday

Trash or discarded items left scattered in an outdoor or public place.

See it in a sentence

Volunteers spent the morning picking up litter along the riverbank.

The park ranger reminded visitors not to leave litter behind after picnics.

A note on using this word

As a verb, litter means to scatter trash carelessly; it can also describe a group of animals born together, a distinct unrelated sense.

Words with a similar meaning

trashrubbish

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. noun

A group of animals born to the same mother at the same time.

The dog gave birth to a litter of six puppies in the barn.

3. verb

To drop trash carelessly in a place, leaving it untidy.

Please don't litter; use the bins provided along the trail.

Make it your own

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