remainder

noun re·main·der \ ri-ˈmān-dər \

Definition of remainder

1 :an interest or estate in property that follows and is dependent on the termination of a prior intervening possessory estate created at the same time by the same instrument

2 a :a remaining group, part, or trace

b (1) :the number left after a subtraction

(2) :the final undivided part after division that is less or of lower degree than the divisor

3 :a book sold at a reduced price by the publisher after sales have slowed

See remainder defined for English-language learners

See remainder defined for kids

Examples of remainder in a Sentence

2 subtracted from 5 gives a remainder of 3.
5 goes into 29 five times with a remainder of 4.

Recent Examples of remainder from the Web

Buhari, a 74-year-old elected in 2015, has been in London since early May for treatment of an undisclosed illness, fueling concern about his ability to serve the remainder of his four-year term.

— paul wallace, Bloomberg.com, "Gunfire in Nigeria Capital as Groups Clash Over Buhari’s Absence," 15 Aug. 2017
The hiatus means SpaceX has a busy launch manifest planned for the remainder of the year, with at least six flights scheduled to launch before November 1.

— jay bennett, Popular Mechanics, "SpaceX to Launch a Supercomputer and Army Satellite to the ISS This Afternoon," 14 Aug. 2017
But the sheriff plans to serve the remainder of his current term, which ends in January 2019.

— ashley remkus, AL.com, "DeKalb County Sheriff Jimmy Harris announces he won't seek re-election in 2018," 10 Aug. 2017
Kociolek will serve out the remainder of McFadden's term, until the next school board election in spring 2019.

— mike nolan, Daily Southtown, "Frankfort District 157C names new board member," 28 July 2017
The new appointee will serve the remainder of Curran's term, which ends Nov. 30, 2018.

— gary gibula, Naperville Sun, "DuPage County Board member appointed to state Senate," 23 July 2017
The reason for the building heat is an area of high pressure that is expected to move over the area for the remainder of the week.

— leigh morgan, AL.com, "Hottest temperatures of the summer coming up for parts of Alabama," 19 July 2017
Highs for the remainder of the week are expected to be in the upper 90s and might reach 100 degrees.

— robert a. cronkleton, kansascity, "Cooling centers open as heat wave bears down on Kansas City," 19 July 2017
At halftime the match was tied 1-1, but the Coopers had more speed and possession for the remainder of the game.

— drew hill, The Courier-Journal, "Plastic Cup game takes edge off Louisville City-FC Cincinnati rivalry," 15 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'remainder.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of remainder

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from remaindre, verb

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

remainder Synonyms

Synonyms

balance, leavings, leftovers, odds and ends, remains, remnant, residue, residuum, rest

Related Words

fragment, scrap, vestige; butt, oddment, scraping (s), stub, stump; excess, fat, overabundance, overage, overflow, overkill, overmuch, oversupply, superabundance, superfluity, surfeit, surplus

Near Antonyms

body, bulk, main, mass, most, weight

remainder

adjective

Definition of remainder

:leftover, remaining

First Known Use of remainder

1567

remainder

verb

Definition of remainder

remaindered; remaindering \-d(ə-)riŋ\

transitive verb

:to dispose of as remainders

See remainder defined for English-language learners

Examples of remainder in a Sentence

The book did not sell well and ended up being remaindered.

First Known Use of remainder

1904

REMAINDER Defined for English Language Learners

remainder

noun

Definition of remainder for English Language Learners

the remainder : the part that is left when the other people or things are gone, used, etc.
mathematics : the number that is left when one number is subtracted from another number
: the number that is left over when one number does not divide evenly into another number

remainder

verb

Definition of remainder for English Language Learners

: to sell (a book) at a reduced price because not many copies are being sold and no more copies will be produced

REMAINDER Defined for Kids

remainder

noun re·main·der \ ri-ˈmān-dər \

Definition of remainder for Students

1 :a group or part that is left

She took the remainder of the cake.

2 :the number left after a subtraction

5 minus 3 leaves a remainder of 2.

3 :the number left over from the dividend after division that is less than the divisor 10 divided by 3 leaves 3 with a remainder of 1.

Law Dictionary

remainder

noun re·main·der

legal Definition of remainder

1 :an estate in property in favor of one other than the grantor that follows upon the natural termination of a prior intervening possessory estate (as a life estate) created at the same time and by the same instrument — compare future interest at interest 1, reversion

— charitable remainder

:a remainder in favor of a charity

— contingent remainder

:a remainder that is to take effect in favor of an unidentifiable person (as one not yet born) or upon the occurrence of an uncertain event — called also executory remainder

— cross remainder

:either of two or more remainders in favor of two or more persons so that upon the termination of one remainder that share goes to the other or others

— executory remainder

:contingent remainder in this entry

— remainder vested subject to open

:a vested remainder that is subject to diminution by the shares of other remaindermen (as children born later)

— vested remainder

:a remainder in the favor of an ascertained person who has a present interest and is entitled to take possession upon the termination of the prior estate