residual

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɹɪˈzɪd͡ʒ.ʊəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #19182

Meanings

1

adj
Remaining as a small amount after most of something has gone.

There was still some residual heat in the oven an hour after it was switched off.
2

noun
A small amount that is left over at the end of a process.

After all the deductions, only a tiny residual was added to her account.
3

noun
A payment made to a performer or writer each time their work is shown again.

He still earns residuals from a commercial he filmed years ago.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · remaining as a small amount... remainingleft overresiduary

2 noun · a small amount that is left... balance remainder residue residuum rest

Word family

Forms residuals

Derived forms pseudoresidual

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

residual oil
heavy oil remaining after lighter petroleum fractions have been removed

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Recorded since 1570. From residue, itself borrowed during the Middle English period from Old French residu (Modern French résidu), from Latin residuum (“a remainder”), the neuter inflection of residuus (“remaining, left over”), perfect participle of resideō (“to remain behind”), from re- (“back, again”) + sedeō (“to sit, to reside”).

residu Old French residuum Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# residual

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ɹɪˈzɪd͡ʒ.ʊəl/
**Frequency rank:** 19182

## Meanings
1. Remaining as a small amount after most of something has gone.
2. A small amount that is left over at the end of a process.
3. A payment made to a performer or writer each time their work is shown again.

## Examples
- There was still some residual heat in the oven an hour after it was switched off.
- After all the deductions, only a tiny residual was added to her account.
- He still earns residuals from a commercial he filmed years ago.

## Derived Forms
- pseudoresidual

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: residu
- Root: residuum

## Etymology
Recorded since 1570. From residue, itself borrowed during the Middle English period from Old French residu (Modern French résidu), from Latin residuum (“a remainder”), the neuter inflection of residuus (“remaining, left over”), perfect participle of resideō (“to remain behind”), from re- (“back, again”) + sedeō (“to sit, to reside”).

## AI Etymology
Residual is recorded since 1570. It is from residue, itself borrowed during the Middle English period from Old French residu (Modern French résidu), from Latin residuum (“a remainder”), the neuter inflection of residuus (“remaining, left over”), perfect participle of resideō (“to remain behind”), from re- (“back, again”) + sedeō (“to sit, to reside”). The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include residu (Old French) and residuum (Latin). Current senses include remaining as a small amount after most of something has gone and a small amount that is left over at the end of a process. The wider family includes derived forms such as pseudoresidual.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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