Detriment
/ˈdɛtrɪmənt/
Definitions
The state of being damaged or harmed; something that causes damage or harm.
/ˈdɛtrɪmənt/
Something that causes damage or harm; a disadvantage.
His lack of experience was a detriment to the team's success.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're building a tower of blocks. A detriment is like one block that's weak and makes the whole tower wobbly and likely to fall. It's something that causes a problem or makes things worse, like when forgetting to study is a detriment to your test score.
👶 For kids: Something that makes a situation worse or causes harm.
More Examples
The construction of the new highway was seen as a detriment to the environment.
Poor nutrition can be a detriment to children's development.
How It's Used
"Smoking is a detriment to one's health."
"The evidence was ruled inadmissible because it was found to be a detriment to the defendant's case."
From Latin *dētrīmentum* meaning 'a rubbing off, a loss, damage'. It is derived from *dēterere*, meaning 'to wear away, rub off'.
The word 'detriment' has been used since the late 16th century, often appearing in legal and philosophical texts to describe harm or loss.
Memory tip
Think of 'debris' - something left over after something has been damaged. Detriment is similar!
Practice
Word Origin
Root: dētrīmentum