I. ˈli-tər noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French litere, from lit bed, from Latin lectus — more at lie
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : a covered and curtained couch provided with shafts and used for carrying a single passenger
b. : a device (as a stretcher) for carrying a sick or injured person
2.
a.
(1) : material used as bedding for animals
(2) : material used to absorb the urine and feces of animals
b. : the uppermost slightly decayed layer of organic matter on the forest floor
3. : the offspring at one birth of a multiparous animal
a litter of puppies
4.
a. : trash, wastepaper, or garbage lying scattered about
trying to clean up the roadside litter
b. : an untidy accumulation of objects
a shabby writing-desk covered with a litter of yellowish dusty documents — Joseph Conrad
• lit·tery -tə-rē adjective
[
litter 1a
]
II. verb
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1. : bed 1a
2. : to give birth to a litter of (young)
3.
a. : to strew with scattered articles
b. : to scatter about in disorder
c. : to lie about in disorder
their upside-down hats litter ed the top of the bar — Michael Chabon
d. : to mark with objects scattered at random
a book litter ed with misprints
intransitive verb
1. : to give birth to a litter
2. : to strew litter