holdover

American  

[hohld-oh-ver] / ˈhoʊldˌoʊ vər /

noun

1. a person or thing remaining from a former period.

2. Printing. overset that can be kept for future use.

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Etymology

Origin of holdover

1885–1890, noun use of verb phrase hold over

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Explanation

A holdover is something that has stuck around for a long time. A law that forbids women from wearing patent leather shoes in public is a holdover from a very different era. The noun holdover comes up often in politics. A member of a former president's cabinet who keeps her job even after a new president is elected may be referred to as a holdover from the previous administration. A gym teacher's habit of barking out instructions to his elementary school students might be a holdover from his army days.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

holdover

In that case, you will likely find yourself traveling to or from the concourse on a wretched holdover of midcentury transportation design: the people mover.

From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026

This feels like a holdover from colonial times, when there were few activities, nobody had an Apple watch with notifications.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

Incoming presidents therefore inherit holdover commissioners, nominating new members for Senate consideration as vacancies emerge.

From Slate ● Jul. 6, 2026

The Palisades fire was a holdover from the Jan. 1 Lachman fire, which continued to smolder and burn underground until kicked up by heavy winds on Jan. 7.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2026

The first baseman charged the ball, and Herbie, perhaps acting on some latent instinct that was a holdover from a previous incarnation, stumbled over to cover the bag at first, in itself a good idea.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

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