leavings

plural noun

leav·​ings ˈlē-viŋz How to pronounce leavings (audio)

Examples of leavings in a Sentence

the leavings of the banquet were packed up and delivered to a shelter for the homeless
Recent Examples on the Web What goes into human mouths must come out, and the leavings can offer a glimpse into ancient lifestyles. Charles Choi, Discover Magazine, 25 Apr. 2018 Its glittering sea, forests, wildlife, rocky promontories, troves of ancient leavings and legacies — seep into human doings, as palpable and breathing as all its denizens. Joan Frank, BostonGlobe.com, 30 June 2022 Such leavings have been studied for more than 10 years in people to better understand diet and health. Andrew Curry, Science | AAAS, 25 Aug. 2021 Future archaeologists examining the leavings of the 21st century will likely find scads of toxic crud, along with plenty of plastic trash. Sam Kean, Science | AAAS, 2 July 2021 Officers said her basement was covered in hay, rabbit food and other leavings related to the animals. Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 17 May 2021 To search for what amounts to fossilized leavings of ancient life, astrobiologists have selected Jezero Crater, a basin where the water from various rivers pooled more than 3.5 billion years ago. Charlie Wood, Popular Science, 18 Feb. 2021 If Gáspár and Rieke are right, then the plume of debris formerly known as Fomalhaut b is actually the leavings of an exceedingly rare celestial event: the collision of two massive 125-mile-long asteroids. Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2020 As time went on, the points got larger, and so did the animals that turned up among the cave-dwellers’ dinner leavings: wild pigs and deer. Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, 12 June 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'leavings.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leavings was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near leavings

Cite this Entry

“Leavings.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leavings. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

leavings

plural noun
leav·​ings ˈlē-viŋz How to pronounce leavings (audio)
: things remaining

More from Merriam-Webster on leavings

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!