WordGarden.iolitter
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /lˈɪtə/
US
- /ˈlɪtər/
Meanings
Noun
discarded trash left lying around in a place
absorbent material used in a cat's tray or other pet enclosure
a group of young animals born at the same time
Verb
to leave trash scattered around a place
to cover a place with many scattered things
to give birth to a litter of young
Beyond the definition
"Litter" often brings to mind trash left on the ground, and that is its most common meaning today. It refers to waste such as bottles, wrappers, or paper scattered in a public place, making the area look dirty or uncared for. As a verb, it means to leave that kind of waste behind, as in signs that say, "Please do not litter." It can also mean that a place is covered with scattered things, like a desk littered with notes.
But the word has another very common meaning: a litter can also be a group of baby animals born at the same time, especially puppies or kittens. So the word can describe both an untidy scene and a new group of young animals, depending on the context.
The word "litter" has a wider range of meanings than it first seems to have. Today, people most often use it for trash or waste that has been dropped in a public place instead of being thrown away properly. You might see litter on a sidewalk, at the edge of a road, or across a beach after a busy day. As a verb, to litter means to leave that waste behind. It can also describe a place being covered with scattered things, even when they are not trash, such as a table littered with books or a field littered with stones.
Another important meaning is a group of baby animals born at the same time to the same mother. People commonly talk about a litter of puppies, kittens, or piglets. In this sense, the word has nothing to do with pollution or bad behavior; it is simply the usual term for that group of newborn animals.
The word also has older meanings. In the past, it could refer to bedding made of straw or similar material for animals, and it was also used for a kind of portable bed or stretcher used to carry a person. Those senses are much less common now, but they help explain the word's long history.
So, in one setting, "litter" points to scattered waste and the act of leaving it behind. In another, it refers to a bundle of newborn animals. And in older writing, it may even suggest bedding or a carried bed. The context tells the story.
Examples
- 1
Public mess
There was litter all over the beach after the concert.
- 2
Park rule
Please don't litter in the park.
- 3
Volunteer cleanup
Volunteers spent Saturday picking up litter along the river.
- 4
Fine
He was fined for littering outside the train station.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Untidy objects
The hallway was littered with shoes and backpacks.
- Patternbe littered with + things
have many things spread around in an untidy way
- 6
Mistakes
The report was littered with small spelling mistakes.
- Patternbe littered with + problems/mistakes
contain many of them
- 7
Cat care
We need to change the cat litter before guests arrive.
- Phrasecat litter
dry material used in a cat's toilet box
- 8
Animal birth
Their dog had a litter of six puppies.
- Patterna litter of + puppies/kittens
babies born to the same mother at the same time
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- litternounverb
Forms
- litteredpast tenseverbnoun
- littering-ing formverbnoun
- litterspluralnounverb