vestigial

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /vɛˈstɪd͡ʒɪəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #61321

Meanings

1

adj
Remaining as a small trace of something that was once larger or more important.

The old laws are now only a vestigial part of the system.
2

adj
Of a body part, no longer fully developed because it has lost its original use.

The appendix is a vestigial organ in humans.

Thesaurus

Word family

Related forms vestige

Etymology

From Latin vestīgium + -al. By surface analysis, vestige + -ial.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# vestigial

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /vɛˈstɪd͡ʒɪəl/
**Frequency rank:** 61321

## Meanings
1. Remaining as a small trace of something that was once larger or more important.
2. Of a body part, no longer fully developed because it has lost its original use.

## Examples
- The old laws are now only a vestigial part of the system.
- The appendix is a vestigial organ in humans.

## Related Forms
- vestige

## Etymology
From Latin vestīgium + -al. By surface analysis, vestige + -ial.

## AI Etymology
Vestigial is formed from Latin vestīgium + -al. By surface analysis, vestige + -ial. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern form is built from the named base and affix. Current senses include remaining as a small trace of something that was once larger or more important and of a body part, no longer fully developed because it has lost its original use. The wider family includes related words such as vestige.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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