Word of the Day

: October 1, 2021

vestige

noun VESS-tij

What It Means

A vestige is a trace, mark, or visible sign left by something lost or vanished.

// The seconds ticked by, but the team still had a vestige of hope.

// The ruins remain as vestiges of the Roman occupation of Britain.

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vestige in Context

"We see this galaxy as it was, not as it is today. It is theoretically possible the galaxy no longer exists but the light will continue toward Earth through the vacuum of space until the last vestiges reach our eyes and it disappears." — Bob Allen, The Daily Nonpareil (Council Bluffs, Iowa), 26 Aug. 2021

Did You Know?

Vestige traces to Latin vestigium, meaning "footstep, footprint, or track." Like its parent, it is used to refer to a perceptible sign made by something that has passed or to a tangible reminder, such as a fragment or remnant of what is past and gone.