leftover

[left-oh-ver]

noun

1. Usually leftovers. food remaining uneaten at the end of a meal, especially when saved for later use.

2. anything left or remaining from a larger amount; remainder.

adjective

1. being left or remaining, as an unused portion or amount.

   leftover meatloaf.

   Synonyms: extra, excess, surplus

leftover

/ ˈlɛftˌəʊvə /

noun

1. (often plural) an unused portion or remnant, as of material or of cooked food

adjective

1. left as an unused portion or remnant

Word History and Origins

Origin of leftover¹

1890–95; noun use of verb phrase left over; left ²

Example Sentences

Sephora, shoppers’ go-to spot for celebrity makeup brands and skincare essentials, is facing a hefty fine from California cities for alleged improper disposal of its leftover products.

From Los Angeles Times

With the state’s leftover biomass from forest thinning, “we could make it basically the leader in carbon removal in the world.”

From Los Angeles Times

If you’re worried about the donuts becoming too stiff to eat, try freezing any leftovers you may have.

From Salon

Instead they got “Kid A Mnesia,” which seemingly draws on commentary that the similar sonic palette between the two suggests “Amnesiac” may very well be the leftover of “Kid A.”

From Los Angeles Times

It is tempting to dismiss political violence as a leftover from some “primitive” or “frontier” stage of American history, when politicians and their supporters supposedly lacked restraint or higher moral standards.

From Salon

Related Words

• extra 
• residual 
• unused