Littered
'lɪtərd
Definitions
2 meaningsTo be strewn or scattered with objects or things, often in a messy or untidy manner.
'lɪtərd
To be scattered about untidily.
The park was littered with discarded wrappers and empty cans.
💡 Simply: Imagine your room after you've had a big game night with friends, and everyone left their snacks, toys, and blankets all over the floor. That means your room is littered!
👶 For kids: When things are all over the place, like toys spread across the floor, it's called littered.
More Examples
After the party, the house was littered with confetti and balloons.
The artist's studio was littered with canvases and paint tubes.
How It's Used
"The beach was littered with plastic bottles after the storm."
"The battlefield was littered with the weapons of war."
Of an animal, to give birth to a number of offspring at one time.
'lɪtərd
To give birth to a number of young at once.
The dog littered a large litter of puppies.
💡 Simply: Imagine a mommy cat having a bunch of babies all at the same time. When an animal has many babies, it's called littered, like a litter of puppies!
👶 For kids: When a mommy animal like a cat has lots of babies at once, it's called littered.
More Examples
The rabbit littered several kits in the burrow.
The hamster littered several babies in its cage.
How It's Used
"The cat littered four kittens last night."
From Middle English *litteren*, likely related to Old French *litere* (bed, litter). The meaning shifted to scattering and disarray.
The term's association with scattering is quite old, as it refers back to the original meaning of 'litter' and untidiness.
Memory tip
Think of a messy room filled with scattered objects.
Word Origin
"to make a bed, to put something in a disorganized way"