leftover
Americannoun
-
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:
One big issue for some fashion retailers is having big piles of leftover stock that has to be discounted heavily so they can shift it.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Hamawy led me through the polished medical half of the office to a room around the corner with a conference table and a messy whiteboard with leftover green-marker notes from the primary.
From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026
At the same time, the leftover solid material absorbed some dissolved substances that were already present in the water, including larger, more complex compounds.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 4, 2026
“If I have leftover olives from making a bunch of martinis, I can crack open a can of tuna and some tomato paste and I’m halfway to a puttanesca. Very happy about that,” he says.
From Salon ● Jul. 2, 2026
I scrubbed her off as best I could, being gentle with her sore places, combed her hair, and let her wrap up in one of Mama’s leftover shirts.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
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
Another reader stores leftovers and produce in Mason jars or reusable silicone bags instead of disposable zip-top bags.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
When she saw that the beeswax candles, which last significantly longer than paraffin candles, were selling faster than the honey, she decided to focus on making candles from the leftovers from her uncles’ hives.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
I shake my head and set my leftovers on the ground.
From "Dragons in a Bag" by Zetta Elliott
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.
