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Definition of dumpster

dumpster

/ˈdʌmp.stɚ/
dump · ster
Plural:dumpsters
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dumpster Lexical Profile

dumpster Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American A large, metal trash receptacle designed to be mechanically hoisted and emptied into a garbage truck.

Example

"The restaurant staff threw the bags of spoiled food into the dumpster behind the building."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for dumpster

Word Nuance & Usage

Dumpster is a genericized trademark in North America; the most common equivalent term in British English is 'skip'.

• Nearby Words

duluth
dumbwaiter
dumpling
dumpster
dundee
dune
dungarees

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in 1936 by the Dempster Brothers as a proprietary trademark ('Dumpster'), formed as a portmanteau of the word 'dump' and their surname 'Dempster'. It has since become a widely genericized trademark for large waste receptacles.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Dumpster. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 17, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/dumpster
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