attrition en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /əˈtɹɪʃn̩/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /əˈtɹɪʃən/ (General-American)
- (Southern-England) audio
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.
Meanings
- (countable, uncountable) Grinding down or wearing away by friction.
- (countable, uncountable) Grinding down or wearing away by friction. ▸ The wearing of teeth due to their grinding.
-
(countable, uncountable) A gradual reduction in number.
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.
2008 March 23, Peggy Orenstein, “Mixed Messenger”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 06 Nov 2020: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.
1990 December 16, Tom Sparks, “Universal Suffrage”, in Gay Community News, volume 18, number 22, page 4:
- (countable, qualifier:human resources, uncountable) A gradual reduction in number. ▸ A gradual, natural reduction in membership or personnel, as through injury, incapacitation, retirement, resignation, or death.
- (countable, uncountable) A gradual reduction in number. ▸ The loss of participants during an experiment.
- (countable, uncountable) A gradual reduction in number. ▸ The loss of a first or second language or a portion of that language.
- (countable, uncountable) Imperfect contrition or remorse.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| attritions | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
accretion · accretion · accretion · accretion · accretion · accretion
Deriveds
attritionary · attrit · attrition damage · attrition warfare · attrite · attritive · attritional · interattrition · war of attrition · attrition bias · antiattrition
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (100)
de Abschürfung (wearing by friction) · de Abnutzung (wearing by friction) · eo perdo (loss of a first or second language or a portion of that language) · eo forfrotiĝo (wearing by friction) · oc reduccion (reduction in membership or personnel) · oc abrasion (wearing by friction) · nl sleet (wearing by friction) · de Abreibung (wearing by friction) · mk три́ење (wearing by friction) · sh habanje (wearing by friction) · oc defeccion (reduction in membership or personnel) · de Abgang (reduction in membership or personnel) · pt atrito (wearing by friction) · sv avfall (reduction in membership or personnel) · hu felőrlődés (wearing by friction) · fi taantuminen (loss of a first or second language or a portion of that language) · la attrītiō (wearing by friction) · oc atricion (gradual reduction in number) · sh istiranje (wearing by friction) · de Abrieb (wearing of teeth) · nb frafall (reduction in membership or personnel) · oc atricion (wearing of teeth) · hu felőrlés (reduction in membership or personnel) · sv bortfall (loss of participants during an experiment) · es abrasión (wearing by friction) · fr usure (wearing by friction) · de Verlust (loss of a first or second language or a portion of that language) · he שחיקת שיניים (wearing of teeth) · nl vrijwillig ontslag (reduction in membership or personnel) · sv nötning (wearing by friction) · oc defeccion (loss of participants during an experiment) · es deserción (loss of participants during an experiment) · de Schwund (loss of participants during an experiment) · pl but see zmniejszenie (reduction in membership or personnel) · de Abrieb (wearing by friction) · de natürlicher Abgang (reduction in membership or personnel) · sh atricija (theology: imperfect contrition or remorse) · bg изтъркване (wearing by friction) · de Abnutzung (wearing of teeth) · iu ᐊᓐᓂᕈᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖅ (wearing of teeth) · sv förlust (loss of a first or second language or a portion of that language) · el φθορά (wearing of teeth) · fi hävikki (gradual reduction in number) · he שחיקה (wearing by friction) · fi attritio (loss of participants during an experiment) · oc atricion (loss of participants during an experiment) · oc atricion (reduction in membership or personnel) · ru у́быль персона́ла (reduction in membership or personnel) · es desgaste dental (wearing of teeth) · fi rapautuminen (gradual reduction in number) · ga doilíos (theology: imperfect contrition or remorse) · sv bortfall (reduction in membership or personnel) · el τριβή (wearing by friction) · fi kuluminen (wearing by friction) · cmn 磨損 /磨损 (wearing by friction) · oc amermament (gradual reduction in number) · sv nötning (wearing of teeth) · sh trošenje (wearing of teeth) · fr départs volontaires (reduction in membership or personnel) · nl verloop (loss of participants during an experiment) · de Zermürbung (wearing by friction) · nl slijtage (wearing by friction) · fi hupeneminen (gradual reduction in number) · ja 磨耗 (wearing by friction) · es atrición (theology: imperfect contrition or remorse) · sh osipanje (loss of participants during an experiment) · nl natuurlijke afvloeiing (reduction in membership or personnel) · hu kopás (wearing by friction) · fi poistuma (reduction in membership or personnel) · bg изтриване (wearing by friction) · oc ameniment (gradual reduction in number) · tr yıpratma (wearing by friction) · fi väheneminen (gradual reduction in number) · de unvollkommene Reue (theology: imperfect contrition or remorse) · sv förslitning (wearing by friction) · sh osipanje (reduction in membership or personnel) · eo forfrotiĝo (wearing of teeth) · fi hiertyminen (wearing by friction) · fi attritio (loss of a first or second language or a portion of that language) · de Arbeitskräfteabgang (reduction in membership or personnel) · hu lemorzsolódás (reduction in membership or personnel) · fi menettäminen (loss of a first or second language or a portion of that language) · ru тре́ние (wearing by friction) · eo malkreskado (reduction in membership or personnel) · de Verschleiß (wearing by friction) · oc atricion (loss of a first or second language or a portion of that language) · ja 消耗 (reduction in membership or personnel) · fi attritio (theology: imperfect contrition or remorse) · hu felmorzsolás (reduction in membership or personnel) · oc atricion (theology: imperfect contrition or remorse) · ru истира́ние (wearing by friction) · fi kato (loss of participants during an experiment) · fi attritio (wearing of teeth) · de Sprachverlust (loss of a first or second language or a portion of that language) · sh atricija (wearing of teeth) · oc abrasion (wearing of teeth) · sh abrazija (wearing of teeth) · ru стира́ние (wearing by friction) · oc atricion (wearing by friction) · hu felmorzsolódás (wearing by friction)