vestige

[ ves-tij ]

noun

1. a mark, trace, or visible evidence of something that is no longer present or in existence:

   A few columns were the last vestiges of a Greek temple.

   Synonyms: token

2. a surviving evidence or remainder of some condition, practice, etc.:

   These superstitions are vestiges of an ancient religion.

3. a very slight trace or amount of something:

   Not a vestige remains of the former elegance of the house.

   Synonyms: suggestion, hint

4. Biology. a degenerate or imperfectly developed organ or structure that has little or no utility, but that in an earlier stage of the individual or in preceding evolutionary forms of the organism performed a useful function.
5. Archaic. a footprint; track.

vestige

/ ˈvɛstɪdʒ /

noun

1. a small trace, mark, or amount; hint

   no vestige of the meal

   a vestige of truth

2. biology an organ or part of an organism that is a small nonfunctioning remnant of a functional organ in an ancestor

Word History and Origins

Origin of vestige¹

First recorded in 1535–45; from Middle French, from Latin vestīgium “footprint”

Word History and Origins

Origin of vestige¹

C17: via French from Latin vestīgium track

Synonym Study

See trace ¹.

Example Sentences

Eventually, these phenomena blow the last vestiges of the cloud away and leave behind a hive of young stars.

From Science News

One of the last remaining vestiges of accountability is a list that states must publish each year of their worst-performing schools.

From Voice of San Diego

Davis is one of the last vestiges of the team’s hopeful past, a reminder of what was — and a reminder of how even the cores that franchises wait years for don’t always yield dynasties.

From Washington Post

Smith, despite his impressive comeback and undeniable leadership qualities, is a vestige of the previous regime.

From Washington Post

Despite the ill-suited controls, “Pikmin 3” still has many vestiges of its original charm.

From Washington Post

You could hardly find a vestige of the splendid railroad depots, warehouses, etc.

From The Daily Beast

The largest of an archipelago of islands, Santorini is the vestige of a single volcanic landmass that erupted around 1600 BC.

From The Daily Beast

A deep, raspy voice seems the only vestige of the three decades he spent pounding his body with poisons.

From The Daily Beast

She explained that “filial laws” are a vestige of English rule.

From The Daily Beast

In all three categories, almost all anti-gay laws are a vestige of European colonialism, and date back approximately 150 years.

From The Daily Beast

"You positively convulse me, you're so very humorous," said Robinson, without a vestige of a smile.

From Project Gutenberg

The last vestige of her prejudice against Indians had melted and gone, in the presence of their simple-hearted friendliness.

From Project Gutenberg

The memory of the late scene was still horribly in his mind, but no vestige of it remained.

From Project Gutenberg

No vestige was left of her stern or forecastle, both of which were before so very conspicuous.

From Project Gutenberg

They went, but to their surprise they found no vestige of horses having passed that way.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• glimmer
• relic
• remnant
• residue