attrition

C2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /əˈtɹɪʃən/ UK /əˈtɹɪʃn̩/ See IPA manual

Freq #44626

Meanings

1

noun
A gradual reduction in number, especially of staff who leave and are not replaced.

The company shrank its workforce through attrition rather than layoffs.
2

noun
The process of wearing down an enemy or opponent over time.

The two armies were locked in a long war of attrition.

Thesaurus

Word family

Derived forms antiattritionattritattriteattritionalattritionaryattritiveinterattrition

Related forms contrition

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

attrition rate
the speed at which a group becomes smaller through gradual losses

Noun + noun

Etymology

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.

*terh₁- Proto-Indo-European attricion Middle English attrītiō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# attrition

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /əˈtɹɪʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈtɹɪʃn̩/
**Frequency rank:** 44626

## Meanings
1. A gradual reduction in number, especially of staff who leave and are not replaced.
2. The process of wearing down an enemy or opponent over time.

## Examples
- The company shrank its workforce through attrition rather than layoffs.
- The two armies were locked in a long war of attrition.

## Derived Forms
- antiattrition
- attrit
- attrite
- attritional
- attritionary
- attritive
- interattrition

## Related Forms
- contrition

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *terh₁-
- Root: attricion
- Root: attrītiō

## Etymology
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.

## AI Etymology
Attrition is attested 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. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include *terh₁- (Proto-Indo-European), attricion (Middle English), and attrītiō (Latin). Current senses include a gradual reduction in number, especially of staff who leave and are not replaced and the process of wearing down an enemy or opponent over time. The wider family includes derived forms such as antiattrition, attrit, attrite, attritional, and attritionary and related words such as contrition.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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