Etymology and Usage
The term dross derives from the Old English word dros, meaning the scum produced when smelting metals. By the 15th Century it had come to refer to rubbish in general. Dregs and the geological term druse are also thought to be etymologically related. Metallurgical dross is referenced as a metaphor for worthless material in the Bible and in other religious texts.
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Famous quotes containing the words etymology and/or usage:
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