attrition

UK/əˈtɹɪʃn̩/US/əˈtɹɪʃən/

nounC2Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #12,987 of 15,258leans written

Attrition is a slow wearing down of strength or numbers. A war of attrition, staff attrition, attrition rates.

A war of attrition is one won by outlasting rather than outfighting, which is what the Western Front became. In business it means staff leaving of their own accord, which is why cutting by attrition means not replacing them.

Definitions of attrition

1nounattritionA slow wearing down of strength or numbers.C2
“Attrition among new teachers is high, with many leaving within their first few years.”

attrition is a wearing down.

Remember it

The Latin is to wear away, the same wearing you already have. Attrition is not one blow — it is years of wear, until there is less of you left than there was.

hooks ontowear

Where it comes from

Latin attritio means a rubbing against, from atterere, to rub away.

Proto-Indo-European
*terh₁-
Latin
attrītiō — a rubbing against
Middle French
attricion
Middle English
attricion
English, today
attrition

Built from

atterō · Latin — to wear

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- + terō. by surface analysis, attrit + -ion.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practise this word

attrition in the wild

The term attrition is derived from the Latin word atterere, meaning "to wear down" or "to rub against", reflecting the grinding nature of the strategy.
Attrition warfare
While avoiding decisive battles, the side employing this strategy harasses its enemy through skirmishes to cause attrition, disrupt supply and affect morale.
Fabian strategy
In contrast to attrition warfare where strength tends to be applied against strength, maneuver warfare attempts to apply strength against weakness in order to accomplish the mission.
Maneuver warfare
Language attrition is the process of decreasing proficiency in or losing a language.
Language attrition
Second language attrition can occur from poor learning, practice, and retention of the language after time has passed from learning.
Language attrition

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From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

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