vestigial

/veˈstɪdʒiəl/ (bre, ipa) · [vəstˈɪdʒiəl] /veˈstɪdʒiəl/ (ame, ipa) · [vəstˈɪdʒiəl] /ve-ˈsti-jē-əl How to pronounce vestigial (audio) -jəl/ (ame, mw)

vestigial — adjective

  • vestigialpositive
  • more vestigialcomparative
  • most vestigialsuperlative

1. describing something that remains as a small trace of what was once a larger or

1.形容詞C1
釋義

describing something that remains as a small trace of what was once a larger or more important thing, even though most of it has gone

例句

After the rebellion failed, only a vestigial resistance network remained in the capital.

attributive use: vestigial + [noun]

Jin felt a vestigial fondness for the neighbourhood where he spent his childhood.

vestigial + abstract noun (feeling)

同義詞
  • remaining

    neutral and much broader in meaning; 'vestigial' adds the idea of a once-larger original

  • residual

    often used for physical quantities or effects; 'vestigial' can apply to abstract things like customs or feelings

  • leftover

    informal and concrete, usually for food or physical objects; less suitable for abstract or formal contexts

反義詞
  • full

    opposite of reduced; something that is full has not diminished in size or importance

  • complete

    a complete system or institution has all its parts, unlike a vestigial remnant

用法筆記

Typically used before a noun (attributive position). Common in formal or academic writing when describing institutions, feelings, customs, or laws that have mostly disappeared.

常見錯誤

❌There is a vestigial piece of cake left.
✅There is a small piece of cake left.
💡'vestigial' does not simply mean 'small'; it implies a remnant of something once much larger or more important.

2. relating to a body part that once had a useful purpose but has become smaller th

2.形容詞C1
釋義

relating to a body part that once had a useful purpose but has become smaller through evolution and no longer functions properly, or has lost its original function entirely

例句

The human appendix is a vestigial organ that no longer helps with digestion.

common collocation: vestigial organ

Some snakes have vestigial hip bones that reveal their four-legged ancestors.

vestigial + body part (bones)

同義詞
  • rudimentary

    can mean underdeveloped or basic; 'vestigial' strongly implies loss of a former function, while 'rudimentary' may just mean simple or early-stage

  • atrophied

    describes a part that has wasted away from disuse; 'vestigial' often refers to evolutionary reduction rather than individual disuse

  • underdeveloped

    broader term; does not carry the historical-evolutionary implication that 'vestigial' does

反義詞
  • fully developed

    a fully developed organ performs its intended function completely

  • functional

    a functional body part works as it evolved to, unlike a vestigial one

用法筆記

Most common in biology, anatomy, and evolutionary science. The subject is almost always a body part (organ, bone, limb, eye, tooth) of an animal or plant.

常見錯誤

❌The abandoned building is vestigial.
✅The abandoned building is a vestige of the city's industrial past.
💡'vestigial' describes the biological or trace-like quality of something; use 'vestige' (noun) for non-biological remnants.