|
WordWealth: relict
rel·ict
 ,
n.
1. Ecol. a
species or community living in an environment that has changed from
that which is typical for it. 2. a remnant or survivor. 3.
a widow.
[1525–35; < ML relicta
widow, n. use of fem. of L relictus, ptp. of relinquere
to RELINQUISH]
(Random
House Webster's Unabridged).
Look at
Thesaurus
Some people believe that Bigfoot exists and is a relict of a
prehistoric species that most paleontologists say has been extinct for half a
million years.
—— Merriam-Webster
Yesterday I found one of the more scarce plants of
the valley; it was the bogbean, a relict of the old mossland, in full
flower with pink edged sepals beneath petals fringed with cottony hairs. It has
all but disappeared from Cheshire, so its distribution in the county is now very
restricted.
—— JM Thompson;
Country Diary; Guardian; June 04 2002
Although collared
doves and little egrets have been successful in their own right, it is
clear that expanding populations of each on the near continent helped
fuel the supply of pioneers crossing the English Channel. Not quite the
same can be said of Mediterranean gulls, which were originally scarce
birds breeding almost exclusively on the northern shore of the Black Sea.
As recently as 1950 the bulk of the world population dispersed from a
single colony in the Ukraine to winter in the Mediterranean (hence the
species name). At this time its breeding distribution looked so tenuous
and its wintering range so restricted that the distinguished Dutch ornithologist
K H Voous said in 1960, "It now possesses only a very limited distribution
range with an unmistakable relict character, and is probably in the course
of becoming extinct." ——
'Nature
- Birds'; BBC
And what are the fruits of their labours? Very often a corroded nail or two, or a modern mechanical
relict of a passing Massey Ferguson. At other times the detectorist may
find something more interesting - a tangible piece of antiquity. It may be a
George III half-penny, a lead token, a fragment from a Roman brooch, a
17th-century lead musket ball, or a decorative metal fitting from the end of a
long since decayed leather strap. In fact, just about anything. ——
Alex Hunt; 'Archaeology
and Metal Detecting'; BBC;
April 12, 2002
Did you know? (Merriam-Webster)
The oldest English sense of "relict" is extinct—or at least obsolete.
In the 16th century, the word was used as a synonym of "relic," but
there is no evidence that it has been used with that meaning since the
mid-1700s. "Relict" was also used to refer to a widow at one time, but
now that sense is more or less limited to legal uses. You could say it
is fitting that "relict" has obsolete senses; after all, its oldest
senses derive ultimately from the Latin "relinquere," meaning "to
leave behind." The newer scientific senses date only from about 1900
and hark back to "relictus," the Latin past participle of "relinquere."
Look at
Thesaurus in depth
Back index, 'R'
Back index, 'Q' |
Next index, 'S'
>
WordWealth, HOME
iNTERNET
- The Atlantic-Michael
Quinion's coverage
>
Language and Issues
>
Word Court; Debate your word
>
Word Watch
>
Word Improvisation
>
Words:
English from a British viewpoint |
