🌊 Jetsam: An SAT Vocabulary Word That Goes Overboard
JETSAM most nearly means: A) treasure; B) cargo; C) discards; D) wreckage. Answer inside. 👉️
JETSAM is frequently used with yesterday’s word, flotsam.
📚️ Definition of Jetsam
Jetsam (noun): Goods or items that have been deliberately thrown overboard from a ship, typically to lighten the load during an emergency. Example: the beach was littered with jetsam from the storm-battered vessel.
Quick note on flotsam vs. jetsam: These words are often confused or used together as a pair. The key difference is intent: flotsam refers to wreckage or cargo that ends up in the water accidentally (like debris from a shipwreck), while jetsam is intentionally jettisoned—thrown overboard on purpose. You can think of it like this: if a sailor jettisons something, it becomes jetsam.
🗣️ Pronunciation of Jetsam
IPA: /ˈdʒɛt.səm/ (See IPA key)
Respelling: JET-suhm
📰 Examples of Jetsam
Here are some examples of the word jetsam:
After the storm passed, beachcombers headed to the shoreline to search for any jetsam that may have washed ashore.
Maritime law addresses interesting questions about the ownership of jetsam, which was arguably voluntarily thrown overboard, and flotsam, which was given up involuntarily.
Our dorm during finals week looked like the aftermath of a tornado with textbooks, empty snack boxes, and random jetsam scattered everywhere.
Quiz answer: C, discarded.