debris
gb/dɪbɹˈi/ us/dɪbɹˈi/
B2
English
~ 7000
törmelék, űrszemét
NOUN
B2
1
törmelék
B2
Usage pattern:
[debris] from [something]
Rescue workers carefully searched the debris for survivors.
A mentőcsapatok óvatosan kutattak túlélők után a törmelék között.
Pieces of glass and metal debris were scattered across the highway after the crash.
Az ütközés után üvegszilánkok és fémtörmelék szóródott szét az autópályán.
The earthquake left piles of debris where homes once stood.
Volunteers spent the weekend clearing storm debris from the streets.
The bomb blast sent debris flying in all directions.
Learner examples
There was a lot of debris on the road after the accident.
A baleset után sok törmelék volt az úton.
Firefighters moved the debris to reach the people inside.
A tűzoltók eltávolították a törmeléket, hogy eljussanak a bent rekedt emberekhez.
The storm left tree debris all over the yard.
Workers cleaned up the debris from the broken wall.
We had to step over debris on the sidewalk.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes treat "debris" as a countable noun and say *"a debris"* or *"many debris"*. In standard English, "debris" is uncountable: say "a piece of debris", "some debris", or "a lot of debris". Learners also confuse "debris" with "garbage" or "trash"; "debris" suggests broken pieces after damage, while "garbage/trash" is everyday household or street waste.
Meaning
broken pieces scattered around
Collocations
clear the debris
|remove debris
|debris from the explosion
|storm debris
|debris on the road
|buried in the debris
Synonyms
rubble (Often used for broken stone, brick, or concrete from buildings, especially after explosions or demolitions.)
|
wreckage (Emphasizes the remains of a vehicle, building, or structure after a crash or disaster.)
|
litter (Everyday word for small pieces of trash left in public places; less associated with major damage.)
Antonyms
intact (Describes something that is whole and undamaged, so it has not broken into debris.)
|
clear (Describes an area with nothing left on the surface, without debris or obstacles.)
Themes
disasters
|daily life
|environment
|safety
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Small broken pieces of things after they are damaged or destroyed.
Scattered fragments of something that has been broken, destroyed, or severely damaged.
C1
TECHNICAL
2
űrszemét
B2
Usage pattern:
[space debris] orbiting [a planet]
Scientists are worried that growing amounts of space debris could trigger more collisions in orbit.
A tudósok aggódnak amiatt, hogy az egyre nagyobb mennyiségű űrszemét újabb ütközéseket válthat ki a keringési pályán.
New technology aims to capture and remove large pieces of space debris.
Az új technológia célja, hogy befogja és eltávolítsa az űrszemét nagyobb darabjait.
Even small fragments of orbital debris can damage spacecraft traveling at high speeds.
Learner examples
There is more and more space debris around Earth.
Egyre több űrszemét van a Föld körül.
Old satellites become space debris when they stop working.
A régi műholdak űrszemétté válnak, amikor már nem működnek.
Space agencies want to clean up space debris.
A tiny piece of space debris can hit a spaceship.
They built a model to show how space debris moves.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that "space debris" refers only to human-made objects, not natural things like meteoroids. It is also uncountable: say "a piece of space debris" rather than *"a space debris"*.
Meaning
non-working objects left in space
Collocations
space debris
|orbital debris
|track debris
|debris in orbit
|debris collision
|remove space debris
Synonyms
space junk (Informal term used in media and conversation; more colloquial than "space debris".)
|
orbital debris (More formal, technical term often used in scientific and policy discussions.)
Antonyms
operational satellite (A working satellite is the opposite of the non-functioning, leftover objects called space debris.)
Themes
science
|technology
|space
Definition
Old space objects and pieces that stay in space after they are no longer used, like dead satellites or parts of rockets.
Non-functioning human-made objects and fragments orbiting Earth or another celestial body, such as old satellites, rocket parts, and paint flakes.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
3
törmelék
B2
Usage pattern:
[debris] from [a landslide / glacier]
The glacier left a thick layer of debris along the valley floor.
A gleccser vastag törmelékréteget hagyott a völgy alján.
Heavy rain triggered a debris flow that buried the road.
A heves eső törmelékárat indított el, amely betemette az utat.
Engineers studied the rock debris at the base of the cliff to assess future landslide risk.
The river slows down here, allowing sediment and debris to settle.
After the avalanche, snow and debris blocked the mountain pass.
Learner examples
Rain washed rock debris down the hill.
Az eső kőtörmeléket mosott le a dombról.
The glacier pushed soil and debris in front of it.
A gleccser talajt és törmeléket tolt maga előtt.
A river can carry sand and other debris.
The road was covered with mud and debris after the storm.
They removed the debris from the mountain path.
Common mistake:
Learners may not see the difference between general "dirt" and geological "debris". In scientific or news texts about landslides, floods, or glaciers, "debris" suggests moving masses of mixed material, not just simple soil.
Meaning
loose rock, soil, and similar material
Collocations
debris flow
|glacial debris
|rock debris
|landslide debris
|mud and debris
|transport debris downstream
Synonyms
sediment (More general scientific term for material carried and deposited by water, ice, or wind; can include very fine particles.)
|
rock fragments (More specific description that highlights the rocky nature of the debris.)
Antonyms
bedrock (Refers to the solid rock layer beneath loose debris or soil, contrasting with loose surface material.)
|
solid ground (Emphasizes stable, unbroken ground without loose debris on top.)
Themes
science
|nature
|disasters
Definition
Loose natural material like small rocks, soil, and sand that covers the ground or moves down a slope.
Loose natural material such as rock fragments, soil, sand, or organic matter that covers or moves over the land surface, especially as a result of erosion, landslides, glaciers, or floods.
Grammar
Dictionary form
debris
IPA
GB/dɪbɹˈi/
US/dɪbɹˈi/
Syllables & stress
debris (1 syllable)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: debris
- Plural: debris
Expressions
debris field
1/dɪbɹˈi fˈild/
fixed phrase
area covered with scattered debris
The wide area where broken pieces from a crash or explosion lie on the ground.
Examples
- Investigators searched the debris field for clues about the plane crash.
- The explosion created a large debris field stretching across several fields.
- Parts of the satellite were found scattered over a wide debris field.
debris flow
1/dɪbɹˈi flˈoʊ/
fixed phrase
technical
fast-moving mix of mud and rock
A fast, heavy flow of water mixed with mud, rocks, and other loose material moving down a slope.
Examples
- Heavy rain triggered a debris flow that destroyed several houses at the foot of the hill.
- Scientists installed sensors to warn residents of possible debris flows.
- The road was buried under a thick debris flow after the storm.
flying debris
1/flˈaɪɪŋ dɪbɹˈi/
fixed phrase
dangerous pieces moving in the air
Pieces of glass, wood, or other material that move quickly through the air after something breaks or explodes.
Examples
- People were told to stay indoors because of flying debris during the hurricane.
- The workers wore helmets and goggles to protect themselves from flying debris.
- The explosion sent flying debris across the construction site.
space debris
1/spˈeɪs dɪbɹˈi/
fixed phrase
non-working objects left in space
Old or broken man-made objects and pieces that still move around a planet in space.
Examples
- Space agencies are developing new methods to remove space debris from Earth's orbit.
- Growing amounts of space debris make future satellite launches more risky.
- The station had to change its path to avoid a piece of space debris.
storm debris
1/stˈɔɹm dɪbɹˈi/
fixed phrase
broken things left by a storm
Branches, parts of buildings, and other broken things left on the ground after a storm.
Examples
- City crews worked all week to collect storm debris from the streets.
- Residents piled storm debris at the curb for pickup.
- The park is closed until workers clear the storm debris.