vestige

noun

ves·tige ˈve-stij

a(1)

: a trace, mark, or visible sign left by something (such as an ancient city or a condition or practice) vanished or lost

(2)

: the smallest quantity or trace

: footprint sense 1

: a bodily part or organ that is small and degenerate or imperfectly developed in comparison to one more fully developed in an earlier stage of the individual, in a past generation, or in closely related forms

Choose the Right Synonym for vestige

trace, vestige, track mean a perceptible sign made by something that has passed.

trace may suggest any line, mark, or discernible effect.

the killer left no traces

vestige applies to a tangible reminder such as a fragment or remnant of what is past and gone.

boulders that are vestiges of the last ice age

track implies a continuous line that can be followed.

the fossilized tracks of dinosaurs

Examples of vestige in a Sentence

a few strange words carved on a tree were the only vestige of the lost colony of Roanoke the fossilized vestige of a dinosaur that traversed that muddy landscape millions of years ago

Recent Examples on the Web Recently, the movement against the CFA has been gathering new momentum here and across the region, spurred by leaders who see it as a vestige of colonialism that stifles their economies. —

Ayen Deng Bior, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 July 2024 As with the Schoolhouse Road school, perhaps decades from now some future Mokena historian will try to discern if a house, or piece of furniture, contains vestiges of the village’s collective heritage that was knocked down by a historic storm. —

Paul Eisenberg, Chicago Tribune, 27 July 2024 Its 14 wooded acres are peppered with tall, skinny pines and vestiges of its past life: a creaky seesaw here, a tetherball pole there. —

Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2024 For anyone who owned a Sega Dreamcast or spent their youth at the turn of millennium in the last vestiges of the arcade scene, those seven words are unforgettable. —

Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 13 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for vestige

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vestige.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin vestigium footstep, footprint, track, vestige

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler

The first known use of vestige was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Vestige.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vestige. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.

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Kids Definition

vestige

noun

ves·tige ˈves-tij

: a trace, mark, or visible sign left by something (as an ancient city or a condition or practice) vanished or lost

vestiges of lost civilizations

: the smallest quantity or trace

not a vestige of regret

: a small and imperfectly developed bodily part or organ that is the remains of one that was more fully developed in an earlier stage of the individual, in a past generation, or in a closely related form

vestigial

ve-ˈstij-(ē-)əl

adjective

Etymology

from French vestige "sign of something vanished or lost," from Latin vestigium "footprint" — related to investigate

Medical Definition

vestige

noun

ves·tige ˈves-tij

Last Updated: 8 Aug 2024 - Updated example sentences

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vestige

noun

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Synonyms

Examples of vestige in a Sentence

Word History

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near vestige

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition