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Though English is categorized as a Germanic language, there’s no denying the enormousness of Latin’s footprint on its lexicon. Among English’s plethora of Latin derivatives is vestige, a word that traces back to the Latin noun vestigium, meaning "footstep, footprint, or track." Like its forebear, vestige refers to a perceptible sign made by something that has passed, or to a tangible reminder, such as a fragment or remnant, of what is past and gone. Vestige also happens to be one of only a few vestiges of vestigium itself, along with the adjective vestigial ("remaining as the last part of something that existed before") and the familiar verb investigate.
Examples of vestige in a Sentence
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2025
The population living on Oahu most probably made it there by luck, hitching a ride on the wind or waves, and now remains the only known vestige of the species.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 24 Apr. 2025
Recipes span chile-sparked spinach with handmade whole wheat noodles (a vestige of Chinese traders who traveled along the Silk Road through the northern Hunza Valley), fish simmered in fenugreek-scented yogurt and gingery, saucy chicken karahi.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
Nearby Antiquities Off property, vestiges of 4500 years of history such as the Mycenean Palace of King Nestor, built in the 13th century BC, are on view as little as a 15 minute drive away.
—Laurie Werner, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vestige
Cite this Entry
“Vestige.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vestige. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
vestige
noun
from French vestige "sign of something vanished or lost," from Latin vestigium "footprint" — related to investigate
Medical Definition
vestige
noun
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