1.NounAn insured item of which the entire value is written off.
2.NounAn insured item that is written off when it is beyond repair, or when the cost of repair exceeds the insured value.
"The ship was declared a constructive total loss."
3.AdjectiveA system in which the working fluid is used once and then dumped, burned up, etc. rather than being recirculated. By extension, an electrical system that runs on battery power without the means to recharge during operation.
"Some rocket engines have a total loss hydraulic system for engine gimbal, using fuel bled from the main turbopumps as the working fluid."