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Synonyms

leftover

American  
[left-oh-ver] / ˈlɛftˌoʊ vər /

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 British  
/ ˈlɛftˌəʊvə /

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. left as an unused portion or remnant

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of leftover

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

“It might be some leftover braised short ribs, or I might use ground beef or sausage.”

From Salon

If I go someplace to eat for lunch, I usually have leftovers to warm up.

From Los Angeles Times

I didn’t even to take any leftovers because I knew they would just gather mold in the fridge.

From Los Angeles Times

"Instead, it's far better to scrape leftovers into your food waste bin and regularly clean the dishwasher filter," says Andrew.

From BBC

He and Katherine had rushed through the leftover chili so they could get to Chip’s house.

From Literature