leftover

1 of 2

noun

left·​over ˈleft-ˌō-vər 

1

: something that remains unused or unconsumed

especially : leftover food served at a later meal

—usually plural

2

: an anachronistic survival : vestige

leftover

2 of 2

adjective

: not consumed or used

leftover food

leftover space

Synonyms of leftover

Noun

• remainder
• scrap
• remnant

Examples of leftover in a Sentence

Noun

Are we having leftovers again?

The law is a leftover from earlier times.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Your free time is part of your life, not the leftover space everyone else gets to claim. — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026

Refrigerate leftovers promptly and thaw meat, poultry, and seafood safely to help reduce the risk of foodborne illness. — Sarah Anzlovar, Verywell Health, 18 Sep. 2026

Adjective

Wilson follows Macco to gigs at dive bars in Long Island and festivals in Montauk, discussing life, passion, and loss, while occasionally taking shots of leftover promotional liquor. — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026

The remnants of Hurricane Marie fueled dangerous surf conditions Tuesday along the coast of Southern California, and leftover tropical moisture is driving up temperatures and humidity across the region this week. — Liz Kreutz, NBC news, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1866, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1864, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for leftover

• carryover
• changeover
• crossover
• cutover
• flashover
• hangover
• holdover
• layover
• makeover
• moreover
• passover
• pullover

Kids Definition

leftover

noun

left·​over

ˈlef-ˌtō-vər

: something remaining

especially : food left over from one meal and served at another

—usually used in plural

leftover adjective