Food that remains after a meal and is saved for eating later.
Compound of 'left' (past tense of 'leave') and 'over' (remaining or surplus). The term emerged in English as a straightforward description of food that was left over from a previous meal.
Leftovers are actually a relatively modern concept tied to refrigeration—in the pre-fridge era, leftover food was often dangerous to eat, so having 'planned leftovers' wasn't really a thing until ice boxes and refrigerators made it safe!
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