Definition

1. Noun:
   • Waste or impure matter: "Dross" refers to the scum or unwanted material that forms on the surface of molten metals during smelting or oxidation.
   • Something worthless or trivial: More broadly, "dross" describes any inferior, common, or worthless material, ideas, or elements that should be discarded.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The blacksmith skimmed the dross from the surface of the molten iron.
  • The editor's job is to separate the literary gold from the dross.
  • Much of the content on the internet is pure dross.

Advanced Usage

• "to separate the gold from the dross": This idiom means to distinguish valuable things or people from worthless ones.
  • The audition process is designed to separate the gold from the dross.

Variants and Related Words

• Drossy (adj): Resembling or containing dross; worthless.
  • The drossy material was discarded.

Synonyms

• Scum: A layer of impurities or extraneous matter.
• Impurity: A substance that makes something else less pure.
• Dregs: The most worthless part of something.
• Refuse: Matter thrown away as worthless.
• Trash: Worthless or discarded material.

Antonyms

• Essence: The intrinsic nature or indispensable quality of something.
• Valuable: Worth a great deal of money or extremely useful.
• Treasure: A valuable person or thing.

Related Idioms

• To be dross: To be completely worthless.
  • His later novels are considered dross by most critics.

Noun

1. the scum formed by oxidation at the surface of molten metals
2. worthless or dangerous material that should be removed
   • there were impurities in the water