The S in Debris Is Silent
Debris is scattered fragments. The word kept its French pronunciation, so the final S is not sounded.
Debris is the scattered remains of something broken or destroyed. The word arrived from French late enough to keep its pronunciation: DEB-ree or de-BREE, with no S sound at the end. English has a small collection of these, including *rendezvous*, *corps* and *chassis*, all of which lose their final consonant.
- Scattered fragments. *Clearing the debris.*
- Rubbish or litter. *Debris on the track.*
- Space debris — orbiting fragments. *Tracking space debris.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | debris | Storm debris. |
| Uncountable | debris | Much debris. |
| Related | rubble | Piles of rubble. |
| Related | detritus | Organic detritus. |
| Related | wreckage | Aircraft wreckage. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Debris blocked the road.Uncountable: no plural.
- Space debris threatens satellites.Orbital fragments.
- The S is silent.French pronunciation retained.
French words with silent endings
- debris — DEB-ree
- rendezvous — RON-day-voo
- corps — kor
- chassis — SHASS-ee
- buffet — BUFF-ay, in the meal sense
From French *débris*, from *débriser*, to break apart. It entered English in the eighteenth century, keeping its French sound.
Is there a plural?
No. Debris is uncountable, so you say pieces of debris rather than debrises.
Debris or detritus?
Debris is broken fragments from destruction. Detritus is worn or decayed material, often organic or geological.