American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source flot·sam (fltsm) Pronunciation Key
n.
1.Wreckage or cargo that remains afloat after a ship has sunk.
2.Floating refuse or debris.
3.Discarded odds and ends.
4.Vagrant, usually destitute people.
[Anglo-Norman floteson, from Old French floter, to float, of Germanic origin. See pleu- in Indo-European Roots.]
Usage Note: In maritime law, flotsam applies to wreckage or cargo left floating on the sea after a shipwreck. Jetsam applies to cargo or equipment thrown overboard from a ship in distress and either sunk or washed ashore. The common phrase flotsam and jetsam is now used loosely to describe any objects found floating or washed ashore.
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