detriment

C1 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈdɛtɹɪmənt/ See IPA manual

Freq #40540

Meanings

1

noun
Harm or damage to something.

Working such long hours can be a detriment to your health.
2

noun
A loss or disadvantage suffered.

She quit her job to the detriment of her career.
3

verb
To harm or damage something.

Cutting the budget could detriment the whole project.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · harm or damage to something. hurt

More damage disadvantage expense harm illfare

Opposites

benefit

Word family

Forms detriments

Derived forms anti-detrimentdetrimental

Related forms detritus

Etymology

From Old French detriement, from Latin detrimentum (“loss, damage, literally a rubbing off”), from dēterere (“to rub off, wear”), from dē- (“down, away”) + terere (“to rub”). Detriment is related to the word detritus, and built on similar foundations to the word impediment.

detriement Old French detrimentum Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# detriment

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈdɛtɹɪmənt/
**Frequency rank:** 40540

## Meanings
1. Harm or damage to something.
2. A loss or disadvantage suffered.
3. To harm or damage something.

## Examples
- Working such long hours can be a detriment to your health.
- She quit her job to the detriment of her career.
- Cutting the budget could detriment the whole project.

## Synonyms
- damage
- disadvantage
- expense
- harm
- hurt
- illfare

## Antonyms
- benefit

## Derived Forms
- anti-detriment
- detrimental

## Related Forms
- detritus

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: detriement
- Root: detrimentum

## Etymology
From Old French detriement, from Latin detrimentum (“loss, damage, literally a rubbing off”), from dēterere (“to rub off, wear”), from dē- (“down, away”) + terere (“to rub”). Detriment is related to the word detritus, and built on similar foundations to the word impediment.

## AI Etymology
Detriment is from Old French detriement, from Latin detrimentum (“loss, damage, literally a rubbing off”), from dēterere (“to rub off, wear”), from dē- (“down, away”) + terere (“to rub”). Detriment is related to the word detritus, and built on similar foundations to the word impediment. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. In present-day use, it can mean harm or damage to something, or a loss or disadvantage suffered. Related forms include detritus. Derived formations include anti-detriment, detrimental.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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