dropping

dropping — noun

1. The solid waste produced by the body of an animal, bird, or other creature, typi

1.nounB1
Definition

The solid waste produced by the body of an animal, bird, or other creature, typically found on the ground outdoors.

Example

Fresh rabbit droppings dotted the garden path near the cabbage patch, dark and shiny in the morning light.

collocation: [animal type] + droppings

Christopher cleaned the bird droppings off his car windscreen every morning.

Common collocations
  • animal droppings
  • bird droppings
  • rabbit droppings
  • mouse droppings
  • horse droppings
  • bat droppings
Synonyms
  • dung

    more formal or technical term for solid animal waste

  • manure

    animal waste used as fertiliser, typically from farm animals such as cows or horses

  • feces

    formal or medical term for waste from the body

Grammar Patterns

[type of animal] + droppings

animal / bird droppings

Usage Note

Almost always used in the plural form 'droppings'. The singular 'dropping' for animal dung is extremely rare and sounds unnatural. Always add the name of the animal where possible (bird droppings, not just droppings).

Common Mistakes

I saw a dropping of a rabbit on the grass.
I saw some rabbit droppings on the grass.
always use the plural 'droppings' for animal dung.
The garden is full of droppings.
The garden is full of rabbit droppings.
specify the type of animal, or the meaning may be unclear.

2. A small piece of material, such as litter, paint, or food, that has fallen away

2.nounB1
Definition

A small piece of material, such as litter, paint, or food, that has fallen away from where it originally was.

Example

Christopher spotted a small dropping of litter near the bus stop and bent down to pick it up.

collocation: dropping of [litter/paint/food]

As Wei tapped his cigarette, a dropping of hot ash fell onto the newspaper beside his cup.

collocation: dropping of [ash/soot/something that drops]

Common collocations
  • dropping of litter
  • dropping of paint
  • dropping of wax
  • dropping of food
Synonyms
  • debris

    broader term for scattered pieces of broken or destroyed material

  • litter

    small pieces of rubbish carelessly left on the ground

Grammar Patterns

dropping of [noun]

Usage Note

This sense is much less common than 'droppings' (animal dung). In modern English, speakers usually prefer more specific words such as 'piece of litter', 'debris', or 'crumb'.

Common Mistakes

I saw a dropping on the floor.
I saw a piece of litter on the floor.
'dropping' in the sense of a fallen object is unusual in everyday speech; use a more specific term instead.
There are droppings of rubbish everywhere.
There is rubbish scattered everywhere.
native speakers do not use 'droppings' for scattered trash.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to solid animal waste, but they differ in register and typical use. 'Droppings' is the most common everyday word for the waste of small animals and birds (rabbit droppings, bird droppings). 'Dung' is a more formal or technical term used for larger animals (elephant dung, cow dung) and in scientific writing. 'Manure' specifically describes animal waste collected and used as fertiliser — it usually comes from farm animals such as horses, cows, or chickens and often appears in gardening contexts. 'Feces' is the medical or clinical term, used in biology, veterinary science, and healthcare. Example: 'The path was covered with rabbit droppings.' / 'The farmer spread cow manure on the fields.' / 'The vet examined a sample of the dog's feces.'

droppingsdungmanure ↗feces

Common collocations

Nouns

Prepositions

  • dropping of [something]

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Formed from the verb 'drop' (from Old English 'dropian', meaning 'to fall in drops') plus the suffix '-ing', which turns the verb into a noun. Originally the noun 'dropping' referred to anything that had fallen or been let fall. Over time, a specialised meaning developed: the solid waste that animals 'drop' on the ground became the most common use of the word, while the general sense became rare.