remainder

1 of 3

noun

re·​main·​der ri-ˈmān-dər How to pronounce remainder (audio)
1
: an interest or estate in property that follows and is dependent on the termination of a prior intervening possessory estate created at the same time by the same instrument
2
a
: a remaining group, part, or trace
b(1)
: the number left after a subtraction
(2)
: the final undivided part after division that is less or of lower degree than the divisor
3
: a book sold at a reduced price by the publisher after sales have slowed

remainder

2 of 3

adjective

remainder

3 of 3

verb

remaindered; remaindering ri-ˈmān-d(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce remainder (audio)

transitive verb

: to dispose of as remainders

Examples of remainder in a Sentence

Noun 2 subtracted from 5 gives a remainder of 3. 5 goes into 29 five times with a remainder of 4. Verb The book did not sell well and ended up being remaindered.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
There's no remainder, so 0 is the first digit in our binary number (20 place). Rhett Allain, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2024 The aforementioned panel, and remainder of SXSW events will take place at Speakeasy, one of Austin’s most celebrated venues for over 24 years. Matt Tighe, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024 Th remainder of this review only covers the first two episodes. Erik Kain, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 Including that remainder of funds, the project once again went into 2024 with right around $70,000 at its disposal, with most of the donations coming from community members. Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2024 The rainfall throughout most of the Bay Area was steady and heavy Sunday night and Monday morning, and while the sunshine finally broke through around midday, the region isn’t quite off the hook from a wet remainder of the week. Austin Turner, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2024 Wild's Jared Spurgeon will miss remainder of season with injury In: Hunter Biden Caitlin Yilek Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at cbsnews.com and is based in Washington, D.C. Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 18 Jan. 2024 After that, half the primes leave a remainder of 1 when divided by 4. Quanta Magazine, 1 Nov. 2023 While Stange was away, Haag wound up plotting every pair of remainders — about 120. Quanta Magazine, 10 Aug. 2023
Verb
For a writer, growing old is a mixed blessing: You are revered for your early achievements, but your later books quickly end up remaindered. Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 30 June 2023 In vast quantities it has been remaindered Like a van-load of counterfeit that has been seized Behind his wit lurked a polymath. New York Times, 27 Nov. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'remainder.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from remaindre, verb

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1567, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1904, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of remainder was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near remainder

Cite this Entry

“Remainder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/remainder. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

remainder

noun
re·​main·​der
ri-ˈmān-dər
1
: a remaining group or part
2
: the number left after a subtraction
3
: the final undivided part that is left over after division and is smaller than the divisor
dividing 7 by 3 gives you 2 with a remainder of 1

Legal Definition

remainder

noun
re·​main·​der
1
: an estate in property in favor of one other than the grantor that follows upon the natural termination of a prior intervening possessory estate (as a life estate) created at the same time and by the same instrument compare future interest at interest sense 1, reversion
charitable remainder
: a remainder in favor of a charity
contingent remainder
: a remainder that is to take effect in favor of an unidentifiable person (as one not yet born) or upon the occurrence of an uncertain event

called also executory remainder

cross remainder
: either of two or more remainders in favor of two or more persons so that upon the termination of one remainder that share goes to the other or others
executory remainder
: contingent remainder in this entry
remainder vested subject to open
: a vested remainder that is subject to diminution by the shares of other remaindermen (as children born later)
vested remainder
: a remainder in the favor of an ascertained person who has a present interest and is entitled to take possession upon the termination of the prior estate
2
: that which remains or is left
specifically : the property in a decedent's estate that is not otherwise devised or bequeathed
I leave the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate to my son Michael
Etymology

Noun

Anglo-French, from Old French remaindre to remain

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