FLOTSAM


Meaning of FLOTSAM in English

flot ‧ sam /ˈflɒts ə m $ ˈflɑː-/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]

[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Anglo-French ; Origin: floteson , from Old French floter 'to float' ]

1 . broken pieces of wood and other things from a wrecked ship, floating in the sea or scattered on the shore:

He would walk along the beach collecting the flotsam and jetsam that had been washed ashore.

2 . things that people no longer want and so throw away:

works of art made from the flotsam and jetsam of everyday life

3 . people who are very poor and do not have jobs or homes:

Camps were set up to shelter the flotsam and jetsam of the war.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.