jetsam

Definition

Items thrown overboard from a ship or boat in distress in order to lighten its load.

Etymology

From Middle English jetteson, from Anglo-Norman getteson. Doublet of jettison.

Example Sentences

• "There she was, floating amongst the jetsam, like so much debris."
• "They were the jetsam of the dot-com bust."
• "STORAGE boxes -- catchalls for flotsam, jetsam, whatnots and thingamajigs -- are gaining new interest as decorative objects for the home."

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