leftover
Americannoun
-
leftovers
plural
-
Usually leftovers. food remaining uneaten at the end of a meal, especially when saved for later use.
-
anything left or remaining from a larger amount; remainder.
adjective
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of leftover
1890–95; noun use of verb phrase left over; see left 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
There were no more lines for many different Dudamel T-shirts, just leftover Hollywood Bowl ones, and no wait for popcorn or ice cream.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
Having feeders full of seeds and leftover meat will attract more birds.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026
Keytruda is administered at the same time to help make sure the patient’s immune response activates against the leftover cancer cells.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
Kimberly-Clark identified hesperaloe as a top contender among 70 candidates for potential new sources of fiber, including wheat straw, leftover corn, chicken feathers, seaweed and algae.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
I planned to use some of it to pay for my CharlieTicket to ride the T. I also had some of my leftover birthday money, in case we needed it.
From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks
They programmed several types of yeast, including baker's yeast, to take molecules derived from plastic and agricultural leftovers and convert them into proteins, vitamins, and flavoring compounds.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026
Chemed said it buys sports tickets for business purposes and that its CEO, a "huge sports fan," sometimes uses leftovers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
When you put food leftovers outside the house for collection, what do you think you are doing?
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
This is not the freezer as bunker, or the freezer as punishment, or the freezer as the place where leftovers go to await their eventual quiet disposal.
From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026
Our uncle was always scavenging our refrigerator for leftovers that my mom would toss if she got to it first.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
