wastage

Universal Words noun 1 [U,sing.] ~ (of sth) the fact of losing or destroying sth, especially because it has been used or dealt with carelessly: It was a new production technique aimed at minimizing wastage. * This lack of jobs has resulted in a huge wastage of talent. 2 [U] the amount of sth that is wasted: There is little wastage from a lean cut of meat. * Always allow for some wastage when ordering building materials. 3 [U] (BrE) the loss of employees because they stop working or move to other jobs; the number of students who do not finish a particular course of study: Half of the posts will be lost through natural wastage. * student wastage rates