residue

noun

res·i·due | \ ˈre-zə-ˌdü

, -ˌdyü \

Definition of residue

: something that remains after a part is taken, separated, or designated or after the completion of a process : remnant, remainder: such as

a : the part of a testator's estate remaining after the satisfaction of all debts, charges, allowances, and previous devises and bequests

b : the remainder after subtracting a multiple of a modulus from an integer or a power of the integer that can appear as the second of the two terms in an appropriate congruence 2 and 7 are residues of 12 modulo 5

c : a constituent structural unit (such as a group or monomer) of a usually complex molecule amino acid residues from hydrolysis of protein

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Examples of residue in a Sentence

The grill was covered in a greasy residue from the hamburgers. The divorce left a residue of pain in the family. There was some kind of sticky residue on the floor. She left the residue of her estate to her daughter.

Recent Examples on the Web After removing the sticker on the front, there is a residue left on the front of it. — Washington Post, "Hints From Heloise: A little more care needed when behind the wheel," 22 Mar. 2021 The holes were the residue of a strategy to stick with Schakel, Terrell Gomez and SDSU’s other perimeter shooters at the expense of leaving the middle of the floor open and not helping on drives. — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, "‘Under the radar’ Trey Pulliam making his point for Aztecs," 9 Mar. 2021 And General Lane's persistent presence is tangible residue from the frowny uniformed commanders second-fiddling in the Henry Cavill movies. — Darren Franich, EW.com, "Superman & Lois premiere recap: Welcome home, Smallville," 24 Feb. 2021 Designed to remove odor-causing residue and grime that your weekly loads of laundry can leave behind, these foaming tablets can deep-clean your washing machine in just one cycle. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, "These $12 Tablets Are the Super Easy Trick To Cleaning Your Washing Machine," 11 Mar. 2021 The residue contains yellow dye, silicone oil and other chemicals that could wreak long-lasting damage on the fragile historic objects, according to Elliott’s testimony. — Nora Mcgreevy, Smithsonian Magazine, "Curators Seek $25,000 to Repair Artworks Damaged in U.S. Capitol Attack," 27 Feb. 2021 Sponge over marble and rinse completely to remove any soap residue. — Lauren Smith Mcdonough, Good Housekeeping, "8 Homemade Cleaners That Actually Work, According to Our Cleaning Expert," 18 Feb. 2021 In fact, all liquid foods—from red wine to cooking oil—leave some residue in the container. — H. Joachim Schlichting, Scientific American, "Ketchup Is Not Just a Condiment: It Is Also a Non-Newtonian Fluid," 12 Mar. 2021 Some brands of tape leave a sticky residue when removed; this type must be avoided. — Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, "Three Wine Racks Your Can Build Yourself," 13 Feb. 2021

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

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Last Updated

8 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Residue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/residue. Accessed 13 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for residue

residue

noun

English Language Learners Definition of residue

: a usually small amount of something that remains after a process has been completed or a thing has been removed

formal : the amount of something valuable (such as an estate) that is left after all debts have been paid

See the full definition for residue in the English Language Learners Dictionary

residue

noun

res·i·due | \ ˈre-zə-ˌdü

, -ˌdyü \

Kids Definition of residue

: whatever remains after a part is taken, set apart, or lost

residue

noun

res·i·due | \ ˈrez-ə-ˌd(y)ü

Medical Definition of residue

: something that remains after a part is taken, separated, or designated specifically : a constituent structural unit (as a group or monomer) of a usually complex molecule amino acid residues in a protein

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residue

noun

res·i·due | \ ˈre-zə-ˌdü, -ˌdyü

Legal Definition of residue

: something that remains after a part is taken, separated, or designated specifically : the part of a testator's estate remaining after the satisfaction of all debts, charges, taxes, and legacies other than residuary legacies

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