remains
UK[rɪˈmeɪnz]US[rɪˈmeɪnz]
plural noun
The parts of something that are left after the other parts have been used, destroyed, or taken away.
plural noun
A dead body, especially one that has been dead for a long time.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
main
s
re
again, back
main
stay
s
plural suffix
Etymology
The word "remains" originates from the Latin verb 'remanere', a compound of the prefix 're-' (meaning "back") and 'manere' (meaning "to stay"). This combination created the sense of "to stay behind" or "to be left over". The verb was adopted into Middle English as 'remainen', and its past participle form evolved into the noun "remain", referring to that which is left. The plural form "remains" emerged to specifically denote the leftover parts of something or, by a natural semantic extension, the enduring physical vestige of a person after death—the body.
Analysis
Structure: re (again, back) + main (stay) + s (plural suffix)
- re: A Latin prefix meaning "again" or "back".
- main: From the Latin root 'manere', meaning "to stay" or "to remain".
- s: An English suffix indicating the plural form of a noun.
Examples
The remains of the ancient castle attract many tourists.
They discovered the fossilized remains of a dinosaur.
His mortal remains were laid to rest in the village cemetery.