Definition

Noun: 1. A small remaining quantity of something: A part or portion that is left after the greater part has been used, removed, or destroyed. 2. A surviving trace or vestige: A small piece or amount of something that remains from a larger original piece or amount, often hinting at what once existed. 3. A piece of fabric left after the main piece has been cut or sold: Specifically in textiles, an unsold end of a roll of cloth or a leftover piece from a larger cut.

Examples

• General Use (Remaining Quantity):
  • She ate the remnant of her sandwich.
  • Only a remnant of the ancient forest still stands.
• Surviving Trace:
  • The old castle is a remnant of a bygone era.
  • He felt a remnant of his childhood fear.
• Textile Use:
  • She bought a remnant of silk to make a small bag.
  • The fabric store sells remnants at a discount.

Advanced Usage

• "The last remnant(s) of...": Emphasizes the final surviving pieces of something that is nearly gone.
  • This village is one of the last remnants of traditional life in the region.
• Used attributively (before a noun): Functions like an adjective to describe something that is a leftover part.
  • They gathered in a remnant population of the species.
  • She studied the remnant effects of the policy.

Variants and Related Words

• Remain (verb): To continue to exist, especially after other similar or related people or things have ceased to exist.
• Remains (noun, plural): The parts left over after other parts have been removed, used, or destroyed. (Often used for archaeological finds or a deceased body).

Synonyms

• Remainder: What is left after other parts have been taken away. (Often more neutral and mathematical).
• Leftover: Something, especially food, remaining after the rest has been used. (More common for food).
• Vestige: A trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists. (Emphasizes a faint indication).
• Fragment: A small part broken or separated off something.

Antonyms

• Whole
• Entirety
• Bulk (the main or greater part)

Related Phrases

• A remnant of its former self: A phrase describing something that is much less impressive, powerful, or complete than it once was.
  • After the fire, the grand house was just a remnant of its former self.

Noun

1. a piece of cloth that is left over after the rest has been used or sold
2. a small part or portion that remains after the main part no longer exists