Word: attrition (noun)

Associations

"Attrition" means a gradual reduction or loss of something, usually people or strength, over time. It is often used in work, military, or business contexts to describe a slow decrease.

• In a company: "The company faced high attrition last year, losing many employees." This means many workers left the company slowly over time.
• In the military: "The war caused attrition of the army’s forces." This means the army slowly lost soldiers during the fighting.
• In education: "Student attrition rates have increased this semester." This means more students dropped out or left school.

A close synonym is "loss," but "attrition" usually means the loss happens slowly and naturally, not suddenly or by one big event.

Substitution

You can replace "attrition" with:

• "turnover" (especially for employees leaving a job)
• "wear and tear" (for physical things or strength)
• "loss" (general, but less specific about slow process)

Changing the word changes the meaning slightly. For example, "turnover" focuses more on people leaving jobs, while "attrition" can be broader.

Deconstruction

"Attrition" comes from Latin "attritio," from "atterere" meaning "to rub against" or "wear down." The prefix "at-" means "toward," and "trit" comes from "terere," meaning "to rub." So, it originally meant "wearing down by rubbing."

This helps us understand why "attrition" means a slow wearing away or reduction.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where attrition might be good or bad?
• Have you experienced attrition in your school or work, like people leaving slowly?
• How is attrition different from sudden loss? Can you give examples?