remnant

1 of 2

noun

rem·​nant ˈrem-nənt How to pronounce remnant (audio)
1
a
: a usually small part, member, or trace remaining
b
: a small surviving group
often used in plural
2
: an unsold or unused end of piece goods

remnant

2 of 2

adjective

: still remaining

Examples of remnant in a Sentence

Noun Remnants go on sale next week. sailed home with just a remnant of the colony's original population aboard
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
One of the only remnants of the Iowa colony is its old dining hall, which today houses a small French Icarian Village museum run by descendants of the community’s original inhabitants. John Last, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Nov. 2023 The dispute raises the question of whether Rule 53 is an outdated remnant of another time. Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 26 Nov. 2023 Though deal-hungry mobs and pre-dawn lines are largely remnants of Black Fridays past, Americans are still venturing into malls and big box stores in search of bargains. Jaclyn Peiser, Washington Post, 24 Nov. 2023 Rain from a day earlier seemed to have extinguished the last remnants of fire. Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2023 The colliding galaxy’s remains are now called Gaia-Sausage-Enceladus, a result of two teams independently discovering the remnants of the merger. WIRED, 12 Nov. 2023 Moscow has looked to recruit Wagner veterans back into service and integrate the remnants of the force into a militarized guard headed up by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s former bodyguard. Peter Aitken, Fox News, 10 Nov. 2023 Plus, with the old remnants out of the way, new growth can come in full throttle. Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2023 Historic river towns, remnants of America’s early days, whispered stories that only seasoned leaves could tell. Kyle Edward, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023
Adjective
Tropical Storm Hermine on Sunday was continuing to bring rain to the Canary Islands and is poised to become a remnant low, forecasters said. Steve Svekis, Sun Sentinel, 25 Sep. 2022 The magnetic mosaic comes from volcanic rocks at the surface that carry traces of Mars’s remnant magnetic field. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Oct. 2023 Tropical Storm Rina is forecast to die off tonight, turning into a remnant low without any tropical convection. A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2023 Even today, remnant shells can still be found in places along the Wabash River and other waterways. The Indianapolis Star, 5 Sep. 2023 The hurricane center expects unfavorable conditions in the Gulf to only get more pronounced as Arlene drifts southeastward, and the storm could weaken to a remnant low by Saturday. Leigh Morgan, al, 2 June 2023 The remnant rains of Ophelia are lowering in intensity and coverage, from late this afternoon into at least midafternoon Monday. A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 24 Sep. 2023 The hurricane center said upper-level winds will turn more hostile and the depression could weaken to a remnant low by Monday. Leigh Morgan, al, 19 Aug. 2023 Magnetars—only about 30 of which are known in our galaxy—are a type of neutron star, a remnant core that is left behind after a massive star ends its life. Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 17 Aug. 2023 See More

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, contraction of remenant, from Anglo-French remanant, from present participle of remaindre to remain — more at remain entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1550, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near remnant

Cite this Entry

“Remnant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/remnant. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

remnant

noun
rem·​nant
ˈrem-nənt
1
: a surviving usually small part
remnants of a great civilization
2
: something that remains or is left over
a remnant of cloth

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