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left·o·ver

leftover

 
pronunciation:
left o vr
parts of speech:
noun, adjective
features:
Word Combinations (noun, adjective), Language Note
part of speech: noun
definition: a remainder or unused portion, esp. of food left uneaten after a meal.
We can eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
synonyms:
remainder, remnant, scrap
similar words:
butt, oddment, overage, residue, surplus
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
 
part of speech: adjective
definition: left as an unconsumed, unused, or unfinished portion (used before a noun only).
I think we'll eat these leftover beans tonight.Do you have any leftover material from your sewing project?I have a few leftover tasks I need to do today.
synonyms:
surplus
similar words:
extra, odd, remnant, residual, scrap, spare
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
Language Note
For use before a noun, the one-word adjective "leftover" is used, as in "leftover meatloaf" or "leftover tasks." The divided adjective "left over" is not used in this way. It's also important to note that the pronunciation of the two adjectives differ. The one-word adjective has its primary stress on the first syllable, "left." The two-word adjective has its primary stress on the "o" of "over."