leavings

L1E1A1V4I1N1G2S1

noun

A worthless and incidental residuum, such as scraps from a meal, or shavings or sawdust from wood.

“The poor survive on the leavings of the rich and wasteful.”

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Meanings

nounleavings pl (plural only)
  1. pluralplural onlyA worthless and incidental residuum, such as scraps from a meal, or shavings or sawdust from wood.

    The poor survive on the leavings of the rich and wasteful.

    2 more examples

    [T]he outdoor dogs […] were permitted to raven unchecked upon chicken bones, fat slices of ham, and luscious leavings of cream when the packing-up time came.

    1894, E[dith Anna] Œ[none] Somerville, Martin Ross [pseudonym; Violet Florence Martin], chapter XII, in The Real Charlotte […], volume I, London: Ward and Downey […], →OCLC, page 168

    I daresay we can find one of those devoted, hard-working little scrubs who are glad to come for nothing and live on the table leavings. And when there's nothing else for her to do she can always put in some time working in the garden—I have to keep it in order.

    1934, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], The Bravo of London

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
laverelicremaindershavings

Origin

Participial form of "leave".

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian остатъци
  • остатъци (ostatăci)that which is left
Finnish tähteet
  • tähteetthat which is left
Irish fuílleach
  • fuílleachthat which is left

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

svengali
Cite this entry
APA

leavings. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/leavings

MLA

“leavings.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/leavings. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “leavings,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/leavings.

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