attrition

Meanings

Noun

  • Wearing or grinding down by friction.
  • The gradual reduction in a tangible or intangible resource due to causes that are passive and do not involve productive use of the resource.
  • A gradual, natural reduction in membership or personnel, as through retirement, resignation, or death.
  • The loss of participants during an experiment.
  • Imperfect contrition or remorse.
  • The wearing of teeth due to their grinding.
  • The loss of a first or second language or a portion of that language.

Verb

  • To grind or wear down through friction.
  • To reduce the number of (jobs or workers) by not hiring new employees to fill positions that become vacant (often with out).
  • To undergo a reduction in number.

Related

Similar words

Opposite words

Origin

  • From Latin attritio, from the verb attritus, past participle of atterere, from ad- + terere.

Modern English dictionary

Explore and search massive catalog of over 900,000 word meanings.

Word of the Day

Get a curated memorable word every day.

Challenge yourself

Level up your vocabulary by setting personal goals.

And much more

Try out Vedaist now.