wreckage or discarded material e g garbage, found floating on the surface of the sea or washed up on the beach
Wreckage or cargo that remains afloat after a ship has sunk Floating refuse or debris
Goods lost by shipwreck, and floating on the sea; in distinction from jetsam or jetson
You can use flotsam and jetsam to refer to small or unimportant items that are found together, especially ones that have no connection with each other. cornflake packets, bottles, and all the flotsam and jetsam of the kitchen
Flotsam is rubbish, for example bits of wood and plastic, that is floating on the sea or has been left by the sea on the shore. The water was full of flotsam and refuse
[ 'flät-s&m ] (noun.) circa 1607. Anglo-French floteson, from Old French floter to float, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English flotian to float, flota ship.