fritter
1
[ frit-er ]
/ ˈfrɪt ər /
verb (used with object)
to squander or disperse piecemeal; waste little by little (usually followed by away): to fritter away one's money; to fritter away an afternoon.
to break or tear into small pieces or shreds.
verb (used without object)
to dwindle, shrink, degenerate, etc. (often followed by away): to watch one's fortune fritter away.
to separate or break into fragments: a plastic material having a tendency to fritter.
noun
a small piece, fragment, or shred.
Origin of fritter
1
1720–30; earlier
fitter, derivative of
fit (Old English
fitt) a part
OTHER WORDS FROM fritter
frit·ter·er, noun un·frit·tered, adjectiveWords nearby fritter
frith,
frithstool,
fritillaria,
fritillary,
frittata,
fritter,
fritter away,
fritto misto,
fritz,
friuli,
friuli-venezia giulia
Definition for fritter (2 of 2)
fritter
2
[ frit-er ]
/ ˈfrɪt ər /
noun
a small cake of batter, sometimes containing corn, fruit, clams, or some other ingredient, fried in deep fat or sautéed.
Example sentences from the Web for fritter
British Dictionary definitions for fritter (1 of 2)
fritter
1
/ (ˈfrɪtə) /
verb (tr)
(usually foll by away)
to waste or squander
to fritter away time
to break or tear into small pieces; shred
noun
a small piece; shred
Derived forms of fritter
fritterer, nounWord Origin for fritter
C18: probably from obsolete
fitter to break into small pieces, ultimately from Old English
fitt a piece
British Dictionary definitions for fritter (2 of 2)
fritter
2
/ (ˈfrɪtə) /
noun
a piece of food, such as apple or clam, that is dipped in batter and fried in deep fat
Word Origin for fritter
C14: from Old French
friture, from Latin
frictus fried, roasted, from
frīgere to fry, parch