attrition
/əˈtɹɪʃən/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.16 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "Recent years have seen […] more and more blatant reversals of previous Supreme Court decisions in favor of the constitutional rights of minorities. These increasingly conservative decisions, and constant attrition of individuals' rights, have directly paralleled the alarming increase of convictions in our courts."
- "But the rise of multiracialism is not all Kumbaya choruses and “postracial” identity. The N.A.A.C.P. criticized the census change, fearing that since so few in the black community are of fully African descent, mass attrition to a mixed-race option could threaten political clout and Federal financing."
- "attritioned teeth; attritioned rock"
- "[…] He took her in his arms And kissed her long and wetly, Till, attritioned by her charms, His will collapsed completely."
- "[…] but the heart of the health services in New York will have to attrition out some 3,000 to 5,000 jobs."
- "[…] expenses can be cut, by attritioning faculty vacancies […]"
Etymology
First attested in the 15th century, from Middle English attricion, attricioun, from Middle French attricion, attrition and its etymon, Latin attrītiō (“a rubbing against”), from the verb attrītus, past participle of atterō (“to wear”), from ad- (“to, towards”) + terō (“to rub”). By surface analysis, attrit + -ion.
Origin
- Source language: Middle English
- First known use: First attested in the 15th century
Word Breakdown
- Root: *terh₁-, attricion, attrītiō
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /əˈtɹɪʃən/
- British English: /əˈtɹɪʃn̩/