Flotsam / ˈflɒtsəm / (also known as "flotsan") refers to goods from a sunken vessel that have floated to the surface of the sea, or any floating cargo that is cast overboard.

Flotsam was anything from a shipwreck (the word comes from Anglo-French floter, meaning "to float"), and jetsam and lagan were items thrown overboard to reduce the cargo weight of a ship.

Jan 4, 2021 · Flotsam is defined as debris in the water that was not deliberately thrown overboard, often as a result from a shipwreck or accident. Jetsam describes debris that was deliberately thrown …

FLOTSAM definition: 1. pieces of broken wood and other waste materials found on the beach or floating on the sea: 2…. Learn more.

Flotsam describes goods that reach the ocean without having been deliberately put there. They are characteristically found floating on the ocean waters due to the action of the sea.

FLOTSAM definition: the part of the wreckage of a ship and its cargo found floating on the water. See examples of flotsam used in a sentence.

Flotsam Sail, scavenge, and rescue survivors in a vibrant floating city-builder. Captain your drifters across the endless garbage sea to uncover soaked ruins, rusting factories, and stories from the old …

Definition of flotsam noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. parts of boats, pieces of wood or rubbish, etc. that are found on land near the sea or floating on the sea; any kind of rubbish. The …

Sep 21, 2025 · Flotsam refers to debris or wreckage of a ship and its cargo found floating on the sea or washed ashore. The term originates from maritime language and is typically used to describe objects …

flotsam material floating on the sea, especially debris or goods from ship-wrecks. Cf. jetsam.