Fritter
/ˈfrɪt.ər/noun
To waste or spend time or money in small, careless amounts.
Did you know?The verb *fritter* likely developed from the idea of breaking something into little bits, and English later turned that physical image into a perfect metaphor for scattered attention and slow loss.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰrey-
“to cut, split, or break”
Latin
Latin
frangere
“to break”
Old French
Old French
friter / friture
“to fry; frying; a fried dish or small fried piece”
Middle English
English
fritteren
“to waste or disperse in small portions; to break up”
Modern English
English
fritter
“to waste or spend little by little; also a small fried cake or piece”