Wasted or squandered bit by bit, especially time or money; spent carelessly on unimportant things.
From 'fritter,' possibly derived from 'fritt' or related to Old English 'freotan' meaning 'to gnaw.' The meaning evolved to describe breaking something into small pieces, then metaphorically to wasting things piece by piece.
The word 'frittered' perfectly captures how small wasteful habits add up—just like how you might nibble away at a pastry, people 'fritter away' their lives in tiny increments that seem insignificant until you realize how much you've lost.
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