vestige

<font size="-1" face="arial, helvetica"> <p> <strong> <font color="#000066">Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for October 1, 2021 is:</font> </strong> </p> <p> <strong>vestige</strong> &#149; \VESS-tij\&nbsp; &#149; <em>noun</em><br /> <p>A <em>vestige</em> is a trace, mark, or visible sign left by something lost or vanished.</p> <p>// The seconds ticked by, but the team still had a <em>vestige</em> of hope.</p> <p>// The ruins remain as <em>vestiges</em> of the Roman occupation of Britain.</p> <p><a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vestige">See the entry ></a></p> </p> <p> <strong>Examples:</strong><br /> <p>"We see this galaxy as it was, not as it is today. It is theoretically possible the galaxy no longer exists but the light will continue toward Earth through the vacuum of space until the last <em>vestiges</em> reach our eyes and it disappears." — Bob Allen, <em>The Daily Nonpareil</em> (Council Bluffs, Iowa), 26 Aug. 2021</p> </p> <p> <strong>Did you know?</strong><br /> <p><em>Vestige</em> traces to Latin <em>vestigium</em>, meaning "footstep, footprint, or track." Like its parent, it is used to refer to a perceptible sign made by something that has passed or to a tangible reminder, such as a fragment or remnant of what is past and gone.</p> <br /><br /> </p> </font>