adjective
forming a very small remnant of something that was once
much larger or more noticeable : he felt a vestigial flicker of anger
from last night.
• Biology (of an organ or part of the body) degenerate,
rudimentary, or atrophied, having become functionless in the
course of evolution : the vestigial wings of kiwis are entirely hidden.
DERIVATIVES
vestigially adverb
adjective
(of ink or a pen) making marks that cannot be removed.
• not able to be forgotten or removed : his story made an indelible impression on me.
DERIVATIVES
indelibility ¦- delə bilitē¦ noun
indelibly ¦-blē¦ adverb
ORIGIN late 15th cent. (as indeleble): from French, or from Latin indelebilis, from in-
‘not’ + delebilis (from delere ‘efface, delete’ ). The ending was altered under the
influence of -ible .
adjective
(of a person) at the point of death.
• (of a thing) in terminal decline; lacking vitality or vigor : the
moribund commercial property market.
DERIVATIVES
moribundity ¦ môrə bəndətē; mär-¦ noun
ORIGIN early 18th cent.: from Latin moribundus, from
mori ‘to die.’