residue
UK[ˈrɛzɪdjuː]US[ˈrɛzɪduː]
n
a small amount of something that remains after the main part has gone or been taken or used.
n
a substance that remains after a process such as combustion or evaporation.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
sid
ue
re
back, again
sid
sit, settle
ue
noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'residue' originates from the latin 'residuum', meaning 'that which is left behind', which itself is a noun derived from the verb 'residēre'. this verb is a compound of the prefix 're-', implying 'back' or 'remaining', and 'sedēre', meaning 'to sit'. the core imagery is of something that 'sits back' or 'settles down' after the main action or body has departed. this literal sense of 'sitting back' evolved through old french into middle english, solidifying into the modern abstract meaning of a remainder or leftover material. the semantic logic perfectly connects the ancient concept of 'settling' to the contemporary idea of a persistent substance or amount that remains after a process is complete.
Analysis
Structure: re (back, again) + sid (sit, settle) + ue (noun suffix)
re- (latin prefix, meaning 'back' or 'again'), sid (from latin verb 'sidere', a form of 'sedēre', meaning 'to sit' or 'to settle'), -ue (a noun-forming suffix, often from latin '-uum' or '-ua').
Examples
a sticky residue was left on the glass after the label was removed.
the residue of the estate was divided among his children.
ash is the powdery residue left after something burns.