vestige

noun ves·tige \ˈves-tij\

: the last small part that remains of something that existed before

: the smallest possible amount of something

Full Definition of VESTIGE

a (1) : a trace, mark, or visible sign left by something (as an ancient city or a condition or practice) vanished or lost (2) : the smallest quantity or trace

b : footprint 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

— ves·ti·gial \ve-ˈsti-jē-əl, -jəl\ adjective

— ves·ti·gial·ly adverb

See vestige defined for English-language learners

See vestige defined for kids

Origin of VESTIGE

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin vestigium footstep, footprint, track, vestige

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to VESTIGE

Synonyms: echo, ghost, relic, shadow, trace

Synonym Discussion of 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>.

VESTIGE Defined for Kids