-tij, -tēj noun
( -s )
Etymology: waste (II) + -age
1.
a. : loss, decrease, or destruction of something (as by use, decay, erosion, leakage)
the fill is … largely the product of mass wastage from nearby hillsides — Journal of Geology
the eggs and larvae … are subject to tremendous wastage as a result of the activities of carnivores — W.H.Dowdeswell
b. : losses that occur in a herd of cattle from any cause (as death, disease, or sale) — usually expressed as a percentage of the number of cattle in the herd
2. Scotland : a waste or desert place : waste ground
3. : wasteful spending or use of something : loss through wastefulness
man's wastage of the earth's resources — British Book News
these delays, these wastages of effort and money — Eric Ambler
4. : something produced by wasting
chips of flint, chert, and other stone — the wastage of implement making — American Guide Series: Michigan