The meaning of LEFTOVER is something that remains unused or unconsumed; especially : leftover food served at a later meal —usually used in plural. How to use leftover in a sentence.

Left over and leftover are two version of the same term, which means remaining or not yet used as an adjective. Left over comes after verbs in sentences. Leftover comes before the noun it modifies. Leftover can also be a noun, where it refers to food that has not been eaten.

The one-word, unhyphenated leftover is usually an adjective preceding the noun it modifies (e.g., leftover pasta). When it follows the noun it modifies, left over is usually two words (e.g., there’s some pasta left over). Leftover also works as a noun, usually pluralized (e.g., save the leftovers).

Definition of leftover noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary an object, a custom, or a way of behaving that remains from an earlier time synonym relic He's a leftover from the hippies in the 1960s. synonym surplus Use any leftover turkey to make soup.