residual

[ri-zij-oo-uhl]

adjective

1. pertaining to or constituting a residue or remainder; remaining; leftover.

   Synonyms: enduring, lasting, abiding

2. Mathematics.

   1. formed by the subtraction of one quantity from another.

      a residual quantity.

   2. (of a set) having complement of first category.

3. of or relating to the payment of residuals.

4. Medicine/Medical.,  remaining in an organ or part following normal discharge or expulsion.

   residual air.

5. Geology.,  remaining after the soluble elements have been dissolved.

   residual soil.

noun

1. a residual quantity; remainder.

2. Often residuals. something that remains to discomfort or disable a person following an illness, injury, operation, or the like; disability.

   His residuals are a weak heart and light-headedness.

3. Mathematics.

   1. the deviation of one of a set of observations or numbers from the mean of the set.

   2. the deviation between an empirical and a theoretical result.

4. Navigation.,  a slight deviation of an adjusted compass on a certain heading.

5. Usually residuals. additional pay given to a performer for reruns, repeated use of a film, radio or TV commercial, or the like, in which the performer appears.

residual

/ rɪˈzɪdjʊəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or designating a residue or remainder; remaining; left over

2. (of deposits, soils, etc) formed by the weathering of pre-existing rocks and the removal of disintegrated material

3. of or relating to the payment of residuals

noun

1. something left over as a residue; remainder

2. statistics

   1. the difference between the mean of a set of observations and one particular observation

   2. the difference between the numerical value of one particular observation and the theoretical result

3. (often plural) payment made to an actor, actress, musician, etc, for subsequent use of film in which the person appears

Other Word Forms

• nonresidual adjective
• unresidual adjective
• residually adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of residual¹

First recorded in 1550–60; from Latin residu(um) “what is left over, remainder” (noun use of neuter of adjective residuus “left over,” derivative of resid(ēre) “to remain seated, be left over”) + -uus adjective suffix + -al adjective suffix; reside, -al ¹

Example Sentences

Societies would need to eliminate all emissions they reasonably can, then counterbalance the "residual" emissions that cannot be removed.

Read more on Science Daily

“It will take time, and there will be residual effects for days,” said Airlines for America, a trade group representing commercial carriers.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The machine that turned 100 percent lead into an ore that was now 80 percent gold and 20 percent lead would accept the residual lead and turn 80 percent of that into gold, too.

Read more on Literature

“And there’s been a lot of reasons for why this process takes so long. But, from a radiological perspective, the actual residual radioactivity at the site is pretty modest.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

M&S said in the second half of the year it forecast profits would recover to the levels seen in 2024, "as the residual effects of the incident continue to reduce in the coming months."

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• continuing www.thesaurus.com
• enduring 
• lingering www.thesaurus.com