Flotsam and Jetsam
Preserved but no longer current.
Wreckage found in the sea or on the shore. "Flotsam," goods found floating on the sea; "jetsam," things thrown out of a ship to lighten it. (O,Fr. floter, to float; FT. jeter, to throw out). Cp. LAGAN.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Flotsam and Jetsam” mean?
Wreckage found in the sea or on the shore. "Flotsam," goods found floating on the sea; "jetsam," things thrown out of a ship to lighten it. (O,Fr. floter, to float; FT. jeter, to throw out). Cp. LAGAN.
Is “Flotsam and Jetsam” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.