Remnant

A small remaining part of something.

remains vestiges

A remnant is a small remaining part of something that has been lost or destroyed. It can also refer to an indication or trace of something.

/ˈremən(t)/

From Middle English remnant, from Old French remanent, present participle of remainer.

A remnant is like finding a few LEGO bricks left over after building a big castle - it's just a small piece of something that used to be bigger.

The term 'remnant' is often used in ecology to describe small, isolated populations of species
In quilting, a remnant is a leftover piece of fabric used for smaller projects
The word 'remnant' comes from the French word 'remanent', meaning 'remaining'

What is a remnant? A small remaining part of something
What are examples of remnants? Broken pottery, leftover food, or a fragment of an ancient building
Can remnants be important? Yes, they can provide clues about the past

trace vestige residue remainder

trace remainder

fragment relic memento

whole system

natural object