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 Redbox and its tens of thousands of nostalgia-laden movie-rental kiosks are shutting down, officially ending a vestige of the physical-media era. —

Samantha Chery, Washington Post, 11 July 2024 For this and other reasons, Ivan considers the body a fundamentally primitive object, a vestige of evolutionary processes superseded by the development of the brain. —

Sally Rooney, The New Yorker, 1 July 2024 Our intrigue is basically built into our brains — a vestige of some of our oldest survival strategies. —

Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 13 June 2024 In recent months, Xi has alarmed global leaders by cracking down on China’s world-class technology sector, eradicating the last vestiges of democracy in Hong Kong, and flexing China’s military muscles through a hypersonic missile test. —

Elizabeth Economy, Foreign Affairs, 9 Dec. 2021 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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Style

“Vestige.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vestige. Accessed 15 Jul. 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: 15 Jul 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