attritionaladj.
/əˈtrɪʃn̩(ə)l/, /əˈtrɪʃən(ə)l/, U.S. /əˈtrɪʃ(ə)nəl/ Characterized by or causing attrition; esp. involving a sustained and relentless fight or contest.
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the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > diseases of tissue > [adjective] > alteration of tissue > decomposition or destruction
corrosivec1400
melting1605
undermined1844
attritional1849
saprogenic1876
saprogenous1876
the world > matter > condition of matter > bad condition of matter > [adjective] > by loss of material or wasted > worn > characterized by attrition
attritive1816
attritional1960
1849 W. Brinton in Todd's Cycl. Anat. & Physiol. IV. 530/1 The preliminary breaking up of structure which appears to be chiefly physical or attritional in the normal cartilage.
1892 Birmingham Daily Post 20 June 12/4 The principle of reduction in the Cyclone mill is that of impact and attritional force induced by two grinding fans rotating at high velocities in opposite directions.
1948 Amer. Jrnl. Orthodontics 34 113 The attritional wear seen in such fossil types as Rhodesian man, Neanderthal man, and Sinanthropus is exactly such as we have described for modern man.
1960 Times 20 Feb. 10/2 McMorris..delved into the archives of slow-scoring... Attritional cricket is his speciality.
2005 G. Sheffield & J. Bourne in D. Haig War Diaries & Lett. 1914–18 Introd. 5 This idea is consistent with Haig's prescient belief that the war would be long and attritional, requiring the full mobilisation of Britain's resources.
2010 Daily Tel. 25 Feb. 19/1 Education is the great attritional battle of British politics.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2014; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adj.1849