leftover
Americannoun
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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:
In these areas, a glut of apartment construction leftover from the pandemic has helped push down market rents.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
RXJ0528+2838 is a white dwarf, the leftover core of a dying low-mass star, and it is orbited by a Sun-like companion.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 25, 2026
That will likely lead to leftover computing power that Microsoft can monetize through third-party apps and customers, he added.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 23, 2026
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
Until then, a ticket’ll get ’em a packet of leftover food from the palace kitchens.”
From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood
I have a Zwilling nonstick pan I use for eggs, pancakes, reheating, leftovers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
Families with children typically spend more, so cutting back would require things like planning low-cost meals, saying no to prepared and convenience foods, making use of leftovers and bringing lunch to work.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
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
"I have noticed it loves fried rice a lot! The way he eats up my fried rice leftovers - very voracious," laughs Promise.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
It was stacked so full of leftovers, the light up top didn’t hit anything below the first shelf.
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
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.
