relict

1 of 2

noun

rel·​ict ˈre-likt 

1

: widow

2

: a surviving species of an otherwise extinct group of organisms

also : a remnant of a formerly widespread species that persists in an isolated area

3

a

: a relief feature or rock remaining after other parts have disappeared

b

: something left unchanged

relict

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or being a relict

relict populations

Did you know?

The oldest English sense of "relict" is extinct-or at least obsolete. In the 16th century, relict meant "an object esteemed and venerated because of association with a saint or martyr," but that meaning is now covered by "relic," a related word that can also refer to something left behind after decay or disappearance. "Relict" was also used to refer to a widow at one time, but now that sense is more or less limited to legal uses. It seems fitting that "relict" has outdated senses; after all, it derives ultimately from the Latin verb relinquere, meaning "to leave behind."

Examples of relict in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But the New Zealand Department of Conservation lists the reptiles as at risk — relict, a denotation reserved for species that declined to a small population but have since stabilized. —Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 22 July 2024

Last year, the team found a relict glacier in the geologically young region, a hopeful sign for future human habitation on a cold, arid, generally inhospitable world. —Isaac Schultz / Gizmodo, Quartz, 18 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

in sense 1, from Middle English relicte, from Late Latin relicta, from Latin, feminine of relictus, past participle of relinquere; in senses 2 & 3, from relict residual, adjective, from Latin relictus

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1587, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for relict

• addict
• afflict
• constrict
• delict
• depict
• evict
• handpicked
• inflict
• predict
• restrict
• bricked
• clicked

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

relict

noun

rel·​ict

ˈrel-ikt

1

: widow

2

: a small surviving group of a formerly widespread plant or animal species that continues to exist in an isolated area