What does detriment mean?
Detriment is a formal noun referring to harm, damage, or loss suffered by a person, thing, or quality. It most often appears in the phrase 'to the detriment of', meaning that something is being harmed as a consequence of another action or condition — for example, 'He pursued his career to the detriment of his health.' The word can also describe the state of being damaged or diminished. Detriment carries a neutral-to-negative connotation and belongs chiefly to formal writing: legal documents, journalism, academic prose, and careful argument. Its adjective form, detrimental ('harmful'), is even more common than the noun itself. The word derives from Latin dētrīmentum, from dēterere, 'to rub away or wear down', so using it evokes gradual wearing-away rather than sudden destruction. It is a precise alternative to vaguer terms like 'problem' or 'issue' when you want to signal genuine harm.
nounA cause of harm, damage, or loss; the state of being harmed or damaged.
- Harm, damage, or injury caused to someone or something.
- The state of being harmed or diminished in value or quality.
"Smoking is a detriment to good health."
"He worked long hours at great personal detriment."
"The new policy was imposed without regard to its detriment on small businesses."
Rarely used; the singular form is standard in nearly all contexts.
"The detriments of the scheme outweighed its benefits."
Detriment comes from Latin 'detere' — 'to wear away' — so when something is 'to your detriment', it's literally grinding you down.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of detriment
Detriment entered English in the early 15th century via Middle French détriment, borrowed ultimately from Latin dētrīmentum, meaning 'loss' or 'damage'. This noun derives from the verb dēterere, formed from dē- ('away') plus terere ('to rub or wear'), literally 'a rubbing away'. The same Latin root gives us deteriorate, which shares the sense of wearing away or declining. The adjective detrimental developed later, becoming well established by the seventeenth century.
Related word forms
How detriment is actually used
Formal in register. Most frequently appears in the fixed phrase 'to the detriment of'. Slightly more common in British English but fully standard in both varieties.
Easily confused with detriment
A determinant is a deciding or determining factor (or, in mathematics, a value computed from a matrix), whereas a detriment is a source of harm or damage.
A deterrent is something that discourages an action from being taken, while a detriment is something that causes harm or loss.