detritusfeeder
nounUK /dɪˈtraɪtəsˌfiːdə/
US /dɪˈtraɪtəsˌfiːdər/
An animal that eats tiny bits of dead plants and animals lying on the ground or at the bottom of the water.
The little worm is a detritus feeder that cleans up the dead leaves in the pond.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. An organism that lives on the sea floor and eats leftover organic material that sinks down.
Many sea cucumbers are detritus feeders on the ocean floor.
3. A person or group that lives off leftover or discarded things rather than making anything new.
Critics called the company a detritus feeder, profiting from other firms' failures.
4. A machine or process designed to break down and consume waste material.
The new composting unit acts as a detritus feeder for the city's food scraps.