rem·nant / ˈremnənt/ • n. a small remaining quantity of something. ∎  a piece of cloth or carpeting left when the greater part has been used or sold. ∎  a surviving trace: a remnant of the past. ∎  Christian Theol. a small minority of people who will remain faithful to God and so be saved (in allusion to biblical prophecies concerning Israel).• adj. remaining: remnant strands of hair.

Remnant (of Israel; Heb., sheʾerit Israel). The few faithful Jews who are believed to survive calamitous punishment. The prophet Isaiah in particular developed this theme; his son was called Shear-Jashub (‘a remnant shall return’), and in ch. 6 it is promised that, despite the complete devastation of the land, a ‘holy seed’ shall remain. Similar doctrines can be found in Micah, Jeremiah, and Joel. To this day in the daily prayers are included the words, ‘Guardian of Israel, guard the Remnant of Israel and suffer not Israel to perish.’

remnant (small) part remaining over. XIV. contr. of earlier remenant (XIII) — OF. remenant, sb. use of prp. of remenoir, -manoir REMAIN; see -ANT.