flotsam

Definition

Debris floating in a river or sea, in particular fragments from a shipwreck.

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman floteson, from Old French flotaison (“a floating”), from floter (“to float”), of Germanic origin (See float.), + -aison, from Latin -atio.

Example Sentences

• "WORF: Sensors beginning to pick up small objects, sir. PICARD: On screen. RIKER: Doesn't look natural. PICARD: Agreed. Enlarge and identify. WORF: It looks like debris from a space vessel of some kind. RIKER: It could be one of those ships that was orbiting Dytallix. LA FORGE: We are in close proximity to that planet. PICARD: Identify marks Mr. Worf. WORF: Nothing so far. Sensors not detecting any bodies in the flotsam. But from the amount of the wreckage, I'm sorry sir, it can only be the Horatio. From the looks of it she's been totally destroyed."
• "STORAGE boxes -- catchalls for flotsam, jetsam, whatnots and thingamajigs -- are gaining new interest as decorative objects for the home."
• "“What about that one?” “That'll do nicely. That gaggle of human flotsam doesn't even belong on the sea.”"

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