remnant

1 of 2

noun

rem·​nant ˈrem-nənt 

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

Synonyms

Noun

• balance
• leavings
• leftovers
• odds and ends
• remainder
• remains
• residue
• residuum
• rest

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

He was surrounded by the remnants of war and hardship: a rough neighborhood in which dominance and toughness served him well. —Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025

This skybridge, just off Park Avenue, is also a remnant of a building designed for another purpose: to shield famous daughters from the prying eyes of the Upper East Side. —Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 3 June 2025

Adjective

The Rosebank expressions, for example, represent the last remnant stock produced before the distillery shut down. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025

All of this stems from a toxic and mostly invisible danger, largely the product of burning things for fuel and letting the remnant drift into the air and then into us—which is what happens unless the government regulates that process. —Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2025

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

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