holdover

H4O1L1D2O1V4E1R1
US/ˈhoʊldˌoʊvɚ/

noun

Something left behind, saved or remaining from an earlier time.

“That policy is a holdover from days of punch card data entry.”

Similar
UncommonScrabble 15

Meanings

nounholdover (countable and uncountable, plural holdovers)

plural holdovers

  1. countableSomething left behind, saved or remaining from an earlier time.

    That policy is a holdover from days of punch card data entry.

    1 more example

    Castle Rock Middle School was a frowning pile of red brick standing between the Post Office and the Library, a holdover from the time when the town elders didn't feel entirely comfortable with a school unless it looked like a reformatory.

    1991, Stephen King, Needful Things
  2. countableuncountableengineeringThe distance (at target) by which a rifle scope is aimed higher than the intended point of impact in order to compensate for bullet drop over the distance to the target.

    This rangefinder not only measures the distance to the target, but also provides a digital readout of the inches of holdover at that distance.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounan official who remains in office after their term

Similar

nounsomething that has survived from the past

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Broader
Also see

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Translations

Hungarian maradvány, csökevény
  • maradványTranslations
  • csökevényTranslations
Polish pozostałość
  • pozostałośćTranslations
Spanish vestigio, remanente
  • vestigioTranslations
  • remanenteTranslations

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

holdover. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/holdover

MLA

“holdover.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/holdover. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “holdover,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/holdover.

Source: holdover on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.