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 AI details From Latin vestīgium + -al. By surface analysis, vestige + -ial. Topics Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # 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 markdown