remnant

remnant — noun

1. a small amount or part that remains after most of something has disappeared, bee

1.nounB2
Definition

a small amount or part that remains after most of something has disappeared, been destroyed, or been used up

Example

After the earthquake, the stone remnants of the old temple still stood in the valley.

plural: remnants of + destroyed building/structure

Naoko found remnants of an ancient stone wall while digging in her garden.

Common collocations
  • scattered remnants
  • surviving remnants
  • remnants of civilization
  • remnants of an empire
  • the last remnants
Synonyms
  • leftover

    more informal; common for food or small physical items rather than ruins

  • remainder

    more neutral and mathematical; often refers to what is left after subtraction or division

  • residue

    technical or scientific; suggests a thin layer or trace remaining on a surface

  • trace

    emphasises a very small amount, often barely detectable

Antonyms
  • bulk

    the largest part of something, contrasted with the small remnant

  • majority

    the greater part, as opposed to what is left behind

Grammar Patterns

remnant + of + noun

Usage Note

Often used in the plural (remnants) when referring to scattered leftover parts of something that has been destroyed or has decayed. The singular (a remnant) emphasises a single remaining piece.

Common Mistakes

I ate the remnants of my dinner.
I ate the leftovers from my dinner.
'remnants' sounds overly dramatic for everyday food; use 'leftovers' for ordinary uneaten meals.
The old building's remnant was still visible.
The remnants of the old building were still visible.
when referring to scattered traces of a ruined structure, the plural form is more natural.

2. a leftover section of fabric, typically from a larger roll or bolt, that remains

2.nounB2
Definition

a leftover section of fabric, typically from a larger roll or bolt, that remains after the main quantity has been cut and sold

Example

Adina bought a fabric remnant at the market to sew a small bag.

compound noun: fabric remnant

The tailor used remnants of silk to create colourful patches for her jacket.

Common collocations
  • fabric remnant
  • remnant piece
  • remnant sale
  • remnant bin
  • cotton remnant
  • silk remnant
Synonyms
  • scrap

    a small, often irregular piece of material; less specific to retail leftover context

  • offcut

    a piece cut off during manufacturing; more common in industrial settings

Grammar Patterns

fabric/remnant + noun

Usage Note

Common in sewing, tailoring, and fabric-retail contexts. Fabric remnants are often sold at a discount or kept for small projects such as patches, bags, or dolls' clothes.

Common Mistakes

I need a remnant to clean the windows.
I need a rag to clean the windows.
a remnant is a leftover piece of fabric intended for sewing, not an old cloth for cleaning.
She bought a small fabric remnant in the supermarket.
She bought a small fabric remnant at the fabric store.
remnants are typically sold in fabric or craft shops, not supermarkets.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to something that stays behind after the main part is gone, but they differ in context and connotation. Leftover is the most informal and everyday word, common for uneaten food or small unused items. Remainder is neutral and mathematical, often used for what is left after subtraction, division, or a batch process. Residue has a scientific or technical feel, suggesting a thin layer or small amount left on a surface after a process (e.g. soap residue on dishes). Trace is the most emphatic about smallness — it means an extremely tiny or barely detectable amount. You might say: 'After the party, we packed the leftovers into containers.' 'The chemical left a sticky residue on the glass.' 'The archaeologists found only traces of the original paint.'

leftover ↗remainder ↗residue ↗trace ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • remnant of the past
  • the last remnant
  • a surviving remnant

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Remnant comes from the Latin verb remanēre, meaning 'to stay behind or remain', formed from re- ('back, again') + manēre ('to stay'). It passed into English through Old French remenant, which was the present participle of remaindre ('to remain'). The word has been used in English since the 1300s for things that stay behind when most of something is gone. The fabric-sense date to the late 1500s, when cloth merchants began selling leftover lengths of material at a discount.