vestigial
Say it: veh-STIJ-ee-ul /vɛˈstɪdʒɪəl/ · adjective
What “vestigial” means
Left over from the past, without its original use.
More precisely: Remaining from an earlier stage but no longer serving its original purpose.
When to use it
In biology or slightly formal everyday talk, for a leftover feature whose original job has disappeared or greatly diminished.
Memory trick
Latin vestigium means footprint or trace: a vestigial feature is a trace of the past.
Similar words
residual, leftover, rudimentary
Where it comes from
From Latin vestigium, 'footprint, trace'.
Quick check
A jacket has a tiny decorative flap where an older design had a useful pocket. That leftover feature is…
vestigial or obsolete?
Show the answer
vestigial
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