Flotsam - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Flotsam refers to debris or wreckage floating on water after a shipwreck or accident. It often includes broken pieces of cargo, wood, or other materials carried by currents.
Definition:
Debris or wreckage floating on water, often from a shipwreck or discarded items.
Synonyms:
wreckage, debris, driftwood, jetsam
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
treasure, valuables
Common Collocations:
floating flotsam, beach flotsam, ocean flotsam
Derivatives:
flotsamy (rare), flotsamic (rare)
Usage Tips:
Use "flotsam" for floating debris, especially at sea; avoid confusion with "jetsam," which is deliberately discarded.
Common Phrases:
flotsam and jetsam, like flotsam on the tide
Etymology:
From Old French "floteson," derived from "floter" (to float), influenced by Anglo-Norman "floteson."
Examples:
- 1. The storm left flotsam scattered along the shore.
- 2. We spotted flotsam bobbing in the waves after the ship sank.
- 3. Beach cleaners collected plastic flotsam washed up by the tide.
- 4. The artist used flotsam to create a sculpture about ocean pollution.