Added 9 October 2026
waste
/ˈweɪ̯st/ noun
In Latin: ēiectāmenta Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about waste at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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Any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted.
they collect the waste once a week
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Useless or profitless activity; using or expending or consuming thoughtlessly or carelessly.
if the effort brings no compensating gain it is a waste
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The trait of wasting resources.
a life characterized by thriftlessness and waste
verb
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Spend thoughtlessly; throw away.
He wasted his inheritance on his insincere friends
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Use inefficiently or inappropriately.
waste heat
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Get rid of.
We waste the dirty water by channeling it into the sewer
adjective
Origin
From Middle English wast, waste (“a waste”, noun), from Anglo-Norman, Old Northern French wast, waste (“a waste”), from Frankish *wōstī (“a waste”), from Proto-Germanic *wōstaz, *wōstuz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁weh₂- (“empty, wasted”). Displaced native Middle English wernen (“to refuse”) likely due to the similar sounding Middle English warnen
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)