residual

American  

[ri-zij-oo-uhl] / rɪˈzɪdʒ u əl /

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.

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noun

residuals plural

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 British  

/ 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

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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

Derived Forms

• nonresidual
  adjective
• unresidual
  adjective
• residually
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• residuals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of residual

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; see reside, -al ¹

Explanation

Residual describes what remains after most of something is gone. It’s an almost formal word for what’s leftover. If you’ve gotten over your breakup but you still have the urge to kick your ex, then you have some residual bitterness. Residual comes from the Old French root word residu, which means "a remainder." That's why residual can be something that is left behind, like the residual grime on your kitchen counter from wiping it with a dirty sponge or residual feelings of guilt that remain after you dumped your girlfriend because you were rude. A residual is also a payment to a performer, writer, or director of a television show every time the commercial airs; it’s a kind of royalty.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

residual residuals

Hundreds of "residual" contents - unwanted by both Carr and the former owners - were sold at auction on Sunday.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

While life has returned to some sense of normalcy, Minnesota's immigrant community says they still grapple with residual trauma, economic impacts and uncertainties surrounding immigration status.

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026

Instead, they contribute to a residual energy of spacetime.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 18, 2026

What’s more, the high cost of oil, along with the residual effects of the Trump tariffs last year, is nudging up the prices of other goods and services.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 9, 2026

These dramatic questions, as much as the location of the capital on the Potomac, were the residual legacies of the dinner at Jefferson’s.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

The pending contract will improve AI protections, streaming residuals and merge SAG and AFTRA’s pension plans.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026

In 2012 he faced a class-action suit from performers and staffers on “Comics Unleashed” who alleged they were not paid residuals or reimbursed for travel and other expenses.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026

Acting residuals trickled in and helped cover basic expenses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 7, 2026

In addition, the WGA won changes to the rules surrounding the use of writers’ work in artificial intelligence and in the minimum payments, residuals and rules for script-writing, the union said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026

I’m glad to have your contact information should any residuals come in.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

Related Words

• continuing
• enduring
• lingering