Meanings
nounflotsam and jetsam (uncountable)
- uncountablenauticalThe remains of a shipwreck still floating in the water.
- uncountablenauticalThat which has been discharged from a ship or boat, especially on the ocean or a sea, (flotsam unintentionally and jetsam intentionally).
- figurativelyuncountableA collection of miscellaneous items or fragments of little importance.
- figurativelyuncountablePeople considered to be of little worth.
The flotsam and jetsam of society were at the night club.
Synonyms: dregs
Synonyms & antonyms
nounPeople considered to be of little worth.
Similar
random assortment
Translations
Chinese Mandarin 海难碎片, 搁浅的垃圾
- 海难碎片 (hǎinàn suìpiàn)things discharged from ships
- 搁浅的垃圾things discharged from ships
French épave
- épavethings discharged from ships
German Treibgut und Strandgut
- Treibgut und Strandgutthings discharged from ships
Hungarian uszadék, hordalék
- uszadékremains of a shipwreck still floating in the water
- hordalékremains of a shipwreck still floating in the water
- uszadékthings discharged from ships
- hordalékthings discharged from ships
- limlomcollection of miscellaneous items or fragments of little importance
- csecsebecsecollection of miscellaneous items or fragments of little importance
- vicik-vacakcollection of miscellaneous items or fragments of little importance
- kacatcollection of miscellaneous items or fragments of little importance
- hulladékpeople considered to be of little worth
- söpredékpeople considered to be of little worth
- csőcselékpeople considered to be of little worth
- csajvadékpeople considered to be of little worth
Polish szczątki, szczątki
- szczątkiremains of a shipwreck still floating in the water
- szczątkithings discharged from ships
- bambetlecollection of miscellaneous items or fragments of little importance
- pierdółkicollection of miscellaneous items or fragments of little importance
- drobiazgicollection of miscellaneous items or fragments of little importance
- bibelotycollection of miscellaneous items or fragments of little importance
- wyrzutkipeople considered to be of little worth
Cite this entry
APA
flotsam and jetsam. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flotsam%20and%20jetsam
MLA
“flotsam and jetsam.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flotsam%20and%20jetsam. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “flotsam and jetsam,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/flotsam%20and%20jetsam.
Source: flotsam and jetsam on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.