Leftovers: meaning, definitions and examples

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leftovers

 

[ หˆleftหŒoสŠvษ™rz ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

food

Leftovers are food that remains uneaten after a meal. They are typically stored in the refrigerator and eaten later. Leftovers are a convenient way to reduce food waste and save time by not having to cook a new meal.

Synonyms

leftover dishes, remaining food, uneaten food.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
leftovers

General term for food that remains after a meal and can be eaten later.

  • There are some leftovers from yesterday's dinner in the fridge.
  • We always have lots of leftovers after the holiday feast.
uneaten food

Emphasizes that certain food items have not been eaten, often implying waste.

  • There's a lot of uneaten food after the party.
  • We should find a way to donate the uneaten food.
remaining food

Formal or neutral term for food that is still there after the main meal has been served.

  • Please cover the remaining food and put it in the refrigerator.
  • She didn't know what to do with the remaining food.
leftover dishes

Specific reference to dishes or meals that are made from leftover food.

  • Why not make some leftover dishes with the turkey from Thanksgiving?
  • I prepared some delicious leftover dishes for lunch today.

Examples of usage

  • I love eating leftovers for lunch the next day.
  • My mom always turns our leftovers into delicious meals.
Context #2 | Noun

general

Leftovers can also refer to things that remain unused or unfinished from a previous activity or event.

Synonyms

remainders, remnants, residue.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
leftovers

Use this word when talking about food that is not eaten and saved for another meal.

  • We had pizza for dinner, and there are some leftovers in the fridge
remnants

Typically used to describe small remaining parts of something, often in a physical or tangible form, that persist after most of it has been used or destroyed.

  • The remnants of the ancient building gave us an idea of its former grandeur
residue

Commonly used in scientific or technical contexts to describe a small amount of substance left behind after a process has taken place. It can have a negative connotation.

  • After the chemical reaction, there was a thin residue left in the bottom of the beaker
remainders

This word is often used in mathematics, or when talking about parts of something that are left after the rest has been used or taken.

  • After dividing the candies among the children, the remainders were put back in the jar

Examples of usage

  • After the party, there were a lot of leftovers to clean up.
  • There were some leftovers from the project that we can use for the next phase.

Translations

Translations of the word "leftovers" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น sobras

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคฌเคšเฅ‡ เคนเฅเค เค–เคพเคจเฅ‡

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Reste

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ sisa makanan

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะทะฐะปะธัˆะบะธ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ resztki

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ๆฎ‹ใ‚Š็‰ฉ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท restes

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ sobras

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท artฤฑklar

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๋‚จ์€ ์Œ์‹

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุจู‚ุงูŠุง ุงู„ุทุนุงู…

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ zbytky

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ zvyลกky

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅ‰ฉ้ฅญ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ ostanki

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ afgangar

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ า›ะฐะปะดั‹า›ั‚ะฐั€

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒœแƒแƒ แƒฉแƒ”แƒœแƒ”แƒ‘แƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ qalฤฑqlar

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ sobras

Etymology

The term 'leftovers' originated in the early 19th century, combining 'left' and 'overs' to refer to food that is left over from a meal. The concept of repurposing uneaten food has been around for centuries, but the term itself gained popularity with the rise of refrigeration and the ability to store food for longer periods.

See also: left, leftist, leftover, lefty.