dreg

noun

ˈdreg 

1

: sediment contained in a liquid or precipitated (see precipitate entry 1 sense 3a) from it : lees

—usually used in plural

coffee dregs at the bottom of the cup

2

: the most undesirable part

—usually used in plural

the dregs of society

3

: the last remaining part : vestige

—usually used in plural

the last dregs of fuel

dreggy

ˈdre-gē 

adjective

Synonyms

• sediment
• silt

Examples of dreg in a Sentence

poured the dregs into the sink

Recent Examples on the Web

Just as a robust porter leaves foamy dregs at the bottom of a pint glass, IndyStar's Beer Bracket is coming to an end. —Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 20 Oct. 2025

Planets form from the disk of gas and dust that surrounds a newborn star, and moons are thought to typically emerge from the dregs left over from a planet’s birth. —Nola Taylor Tillman, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2025

Look for Broncos’ defense to produce five sacks, including two for Nik Bonitto, as Broncos continue a trend from last season of smashing the NFL’s dregs. —Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 12 Oct. 2025

Last season, they were expected to be among the dregs of the NHL, a sure-fire lottery pick. —Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old Norse dregg; perhaps akin to Latin fraces dregs of oil

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1