Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1400-1500
Language: Latin
Origin: attritio, from atterere 'to rub against', from ad- 'to' + terere 'to rub'

attrition

 noun
     
at‧tri‧tion [uncountable] formal
1 the process of gradually destroying your enemy or making them weak by attacking them continuously:
2 especially American English when people leave a company or course of study and are not replaced:
Staff reductions could be achieved through attrition and early retirements.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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