Littering
/ˈlɪt.ər.ɪŋ/noun
The act of dropping or leaving waste in a public place.
Did you know?“Litter” ultimately traces back to a Latin word for a bed or bedding, which is why the same root also gave English words for a carried chair and even a group of newborn animals.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*legh-
“to lie down, lie”
Latin
Latin
lectus
“bed, couch”
Late Latin
Latin
lectaria
“bedding, straw for a bed”
Old French
Old French
litiere
“bedding, straw, a portable bed”
Middle English
English
litere
“straw bedding; a portable bed or stretcher”
Modern English
English
litter
“rubbish left lying in an untidy mass; to scatter rubbish”