📉 To reduce numbers 🪙 Worn by rubbing 🪨 To wear down

attrite

9.9

Worn away by rubbing so the surface looks thin or smooth

adjective
/əˈtraɪt/

: desgastado

After years of use, the marble steps became noticeably attrite in the center.

Examples

The ancient coins were so attrite that their inscriptions were barely visible.
The archaeologist examined the attrite edges of the pottery shards for signs of age.
The attrite surface of the rock showed signs of erosion.
The old pavement had become attrite after years of traffic.
The ancient coins were so attrite that their inscriptions were barely visible.
After years of use, the marble steps became noticeably attrite in the center.
The old pavement had become attrite after years of traffic.

Synonyms

worn

vsattrite

4 2.1

Damaged and showing signs of long use

focuses specifically on abrasion by rubbing or repeated contact

attrited

vsattrite

9.7

Worn away by rubbing or friction

is the same meaning but used as a base adjective rather than past form

Antonyms

intact

304 3.7

Whole and not damaged or missing any parts

How Worn

ruined

1 3.1

eroded

3.9

attrite

9.9

worn

4 2.1

scratch

203 1.6

scuffed

1 3.2

pristine

63 5.1

Surface Forms

attrite positive

Morphology

attrite = attrition (opaque) = attrit + e

The adjective 'attrite' is derived from 'attrition', but the specific meaning related to physical abrasion is not directly inferable from the noun.

Etymology

Attrite comes from an old Latin verb made of ad- 'to' and terere 'to rub', which gives the image of something slowly rubbed away and is the same root behind trite and attrition. So, as an adjective attrite means 'worn away' or abraded by rubbing.