WordGarden.ioresidue
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /rˈɛsɪdjˌuː/
US
- /ˈrɛzəˌdu/
Meanings
Noun
matter or a trace left behind after most of something is gone or removed
material remaining after a chemical, industrial, or laboratory process
the part of an estate left after debts, expenses, and specific gifts are paid
More meaningsFewer meanings
a specialist mathematical value, especially in modular arithmetic or complex analysis
Beyond the definition
Imagine baking a cake - even after you eat it all, there are often a few crumbs left on the plate. That's residue. It's what remains after something has been removed, used, or cleaned away. It isn't always physical; it can also be emotional, like lingering sadness after a sad movie ends. You might find pesticide residue on fruits and vegetables, or emotional residue from a difficult conversation.
It is that stubborn bit that sticks around after the main thing is gone. Think of ash left after a fire, or the faint scent of perfume lingering in a room.
Residue refers to whatever remains after a process has taken place, something has been removed, or something has been used up. It can be a physical substance—like the sediment at the bottom of a glass of water, the soot left behind by smoke, or the mineral residue from hard water on your showerhead. "After cleaning out the attic, there was a thick layer of dust and residue covering everything."
However, residue isn't limited to tangible things. It can also describe intangible remnants—like feelings, memories, or effects that linger after an event. For example: "The trauma left a deep emotional residue," or "There's still some resentment from the argument – a residue of anger."
In scientific contexts, residue often refers to a trace amount of a substance remaining in another. You might hear about chemical residue on food, pesticide residue on crops, or radioactive residue after a nuclear event. These are important considerations for health and safety.
The word comes from the Latin residuum, meaning "that which remains." So, whether it's visible dust, lingering emotions, or trace chemicals—residue is that persistent remainder, the echo of something that once was, or the lasting impact of an action. It's a reminder that things don't always disappear completely; they often leave something behind.
Examples
- 1
Sticky substance
The tape left a sticky residue on the window.
- 2
Skin products
This sunscreen absorbs quickly and doesn't leave a greasy residue.
- 3
Food safety
The lab tested the strawberries for pesticide residue.
- 4
Household stains
Smoke residue had stained the walls above the stove.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Lingering feeling
Months later, there was still a residue of doubt in his mind.
- Patterna residue of + thing/feeling
a small amount that remains
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- residuenoun
Forms
- residuespluralnoun