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 used in plural

2

: an anachronistic survival : vestige

leftover

2 of 2

adjective

: not consumed or used

leftover food

leftover space

Synonyms

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

Their lunches are usually hot meals and leftovers from a healthy meal Lozano cooked for dinner the night before. —Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2025

To prevent botulism, the CDC recommends refrigerating or freezing leftovers promptly after cooking, throwing away damaged or bulging cans, and following the USDA's guide to home-canning. 2. —Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2025

Adjective

Additionally, upper-level atmospheric gyres and leftover energy from inland weather systems—such as one recent Gulf hurricane with origins in Kansas—can also spark tropical development. —Hannah Parry amanda Castro anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025

Each time there are leftover orange peels or any leftover bits of citrus fruit, treat the in-sink garbage disposal to a cleaning. —Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 21 July 2025

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