remnant
gb/ɹˈɛmnənt/ us/ɹˈɛmnənt/
B2
English
~ 7500
maradék, maradvány, anyagmaradék, szőnyegmaradék, megmaradt, fennmaradt, maradvány-
NOUN
B2
1
Usage pattern:
a remnant of [something]
Only a blackened remnant of the photograph survived the fire.
A tűz után csak a fénykép egy megfeketedett maradványa maradt meg.
Archaeologists found remnants of pottery buried under the sand.
A régészek a homok alatt cserépedények maradványaira bukkantak.
Despite the defeat, a remnant of hope remained in her voice.
The storm left just a small remnant of the pier standing.
He threw away the remnant of his ticket after the show ended.
Learner examples
We ate all the cake, and only a tiny remnant was left.
Megettük az egész tortát, és csak egy pici maradék maradt belőle.
The old wall is the last remnant of the castle.
A régi fal a vár utolsó maradványa.
There is still a remnant of snow on the ground.
A remnant of her old accent can still be heard.
They cleaned the room and found a remnant of an old toy under the bed.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "remnant" with "remainder" or "leftover." "Remainder" is common in math or formal writing, while "leftovers" is very common for remaining food. "Remnant" is often used for small pieces of things or small amounts that survive, including abstract things like "remnants of hope." Also, learners may incorrectly use it in the plural for food, saying *"We ate the remnants"* where "leftovers" is more natural.
Meaning
small part left over
Collocations
the last remnant
|tiny remnant
|charred remnant
|remnants of hope
|remnants of the building
|a remnant of cloth
Synonyms
remainder (More formal and mathematical; often used for what is left after subtraction or division.)
|
leftover (More informal; very common for remaining food but can also mean remaining things in general.)
|
trace (Suggests a very small, often barely noticeable remnant.)
Antonyms
whole (Refers to something complete, with no part removed or used up.)
Themes
daily life
|description
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A small part that is left when most of something is gone or used.
A small part, piece, or amount that is left when the rest has been used, removed, or destroyed.
NOUN
C1
2
anyagmaradék
B1
Usage pattern:
a remnant of [fabric/material]
She bought a cheap remnant of blue fabric to make cushion covers.
Olcsón vett egy kék anyagmaradékot, hogy párnahuzatokat készítsen belőle.
The store keeps all its carpet remnants in a large bin at the back.
A bolt az összes szőnyegmaradékot egy nagy tárolóban tartja hátul.
Using a remnant of upholstery material, he re-covered the old chair.
I found a perfect curtain remnant that was just the right length.
These bags are made from remnants from the local textile factory.
Learner examples
The shop sells small fabric remnants for a low price.
A bolt olcsón árul kisebb anyagmaradékokat.
He chose a carpet remnant for his tiny office.
Egy szőnyegmaradékot választott a pici irodájába.
She made a dress from a remnant of red cloth.
You can often find cheap remnants in the corner of the store.
This tablecloth was made from a linen remnant.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that this sense is usually used in shops and sewing contexts. They might say *"a remnant shirt"* to mean an old shirt, which is incorrect. Use this sense mainly for pieces of fabric, carpet, or similar materials, especially when buying or using them.
Meaning
leftover piece of fabric
Collocations
fabric remnant
|carpet remnant
|remnant bin
|remnant sale
|upholstery remnant
|buy a remnant
Synonyms
offcut (Often used in British English and in trades; a piece cut off from a larger piece of material.)
|
scrap (Suggests a small, irregular piece; can sound less useful or more like waste than "remnant.")
Antonyms
full-length roll (Refers to fabric or carpet that has not yet been cut down to small leftover pieces.)
Themes
shopping
|business
|home
|clothing
|daily_life
Definition
A small piece of cloth or carpet that is left at the end of a roll and is usually cheaper to buy.
A small piece of fabric, carpet, or similar material left at the end of a roll and often sold at a reduced price.
NOUN
C1
3
Usage pattern:
the remnant(s) of [a group/system/period]
A small remnant of the tribe still lives in the mountains.
A törzs maroknyi megmaradt tagja még mindig a hegyekben él.
The festival is one of the last remnants of a much older tradition.
A fesztivál egy sokkal régebbi hagyomány egyik utolsó maradványa.
These stone towers are the only remnants of the medieval fortifications.
The new government swept away the last remnants of the old regime.
Linguists are studying a tiny remnant community that still speaks the original language.
Learner examples
A small remnant of the group stayed in the village.
A csoport néhány megmaradt tagja a faluban maradt.
The castle walls are the last remnants of the old kingdom.
A várfalak a régi királyság utolsó maradványai.
Some customs are remnants of an earlier time.
The law is a remnant of the past system.
Only a faithful remnant of the church remained after the war.
Common mistake:
Learners may treat this sense as only physical pieces, but it is often used for people, cultures, systems, or traditions that continue from the past. They may also say *"remains"* when they mean a surviving group; "remains" is much more common for dead bodies or physical ruins, while "remnant" can sound more neutral or even positive in historical or religious contexts.
Meaning
small surviving group or trace
Collocations
the last remnants of the empire
|remnants of the old regime
|a faithful remnant
|a remnant community
|cultural remnants
|remnants of an ancient civilization
Synonyms
relic (Emphasizes that something is old and from the past; often used for objects rather than groups of people.)
|
survivor (Usually refers to an individual person or thing that remains alive or existent rather than a small group.)
Antonyms
majority (Refers to the larger part of a group, as opposed to a small surviving remnant.)
Themes
history
|society
|religion
|education
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A small group or part that still exists when most of the original group, system, or time has disappeared.
A small remaining group of people, things, or features that has survived from a much larger original group, system, or period, often from the past.
C2
TECHNICAL
4
Usage pattern:
remnant [noun]
The species now survives only in a few remnant forests.
A faj ma már csak néhány maradványerdőben maradt fenn.
Conservation efforts focus on protecting remnant wetland areas.
A természetvédelmi erőfeszítések a megmaradt vizes élőhelyek védelmére összpontosítanak.
Archaeologists studied a remnant wall on the edge of the site.
The park preserves remnant vegetation from the original ecosystem.
Urban growth has left the animals in small remnant populations.
Learner examples
The birds live in remnant forest near the city.
A madarak a város közelében lévő maradványerdőben élnek.
Scientists want to save the remnant population of this animal.
A tudósok meg akarják menteni ennek az állatfajnak a megmaradt állományát.
We walked through a remnant area of native trees.
Only a remnant wall of the old house is still standing.
The remnant habitat is too small for many large animals.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this is a common everyday adjective like "big" or "old," but it is mainly used in technical or formal writing, especially in ecology, conservation, or archaeology. In normal conversation, "remaining" or "leftover" is more natural.
Meaning
remaining from something larger
Collocations
remnant forest
|remnant vegetation
|remnant population
|remnant habitat
|remnant wetland
|remnant structure
Synonyms
remaining (More general and common; does not carry the same technical or ecological flavor as "remnant.")
|
residual (More formal and technical; often used in science or statistics for what is left after a process.)
Antonyms
intact (Describes something complete and undamaged, not just a small leftover part.)
Themes
science
|environment
|history
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Left over from something that used to be bigger, often used for land, plants, animals, or buildings.
Remaining as a small part of something that was once larger, often used for areas, populations, or structures in technical or formal contexts.
Grammar
Dictionary form
remnant
IPA
GB/ɹˈɛmnənt/
US/ɹˈɛmnənt/
Syllables & stress
rem - nant (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (rem)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: remnant
- Plural: remnants
Word family
Expressions
remnants of the past
1/ɹˈɛmnənts əv ðə pˈæst/
fixed phrase
things left from earlier times
Things, ideas, or customs that still exist today but first came from a time long ago.
Examples
- These old buildings are remnants of the past that give the city its character.
- Some of our laws are strange remnants of the past.
- Traditional dances like this are beautiful remnants of the past.
the last remnants of
1/ðə lˈæst ɹˈɛmnənts əv/
fixed phrase
the final small remaining parts
Used before a noun to talk about what is still left when almost everything else has gone or changed.
Examples
- The new leaders removed the last remnants of the old system.
- We watched the last remnants of the sunset fade from the sky.
- The city is cleaning up the last remnants of the festival.