Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

holdover

/ˈhoʊldˌoʊvɚ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.40 in modern English

Syllables: holdover
IPA: /ˈhoʊldˌoʊvɚ/

15

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

3

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Something left behind, saved or remaining from an earlier time.

Countable

noun

The distance (at target) by which a rifle scope is aimed higher than the intended point of impact in order to compensate for bullet drop over the distance to the target.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"That policy is a holdover from days of punch card data entry."
"Castle Rock Middle School was a frowning pile of red brick standing between the Post Office and the Library, a holdover from the time when the town elders didn't feel entirely comfortable with a school unless it looked like a reformatory."
"This rangefinder not only measures the distance to the target, but also provides a digital readout of the inches of holdover at that distance."

Etymology

Deverbal from hold over.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈhoʊldˌoʊvɚ/

Usage

Inflected Forms

holdovers (plural)

Phrases

holdover fire

Frequently Paired Words

holdout leftover

Synonyms

hangover

Questions

How do you pronounce holdover?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈhoʊldˌoʊvɚ/.
What does holdover mean?: Something left behind, saved or remaining from an earlier time.
Where does holdover come from?: Deverbal from hold over.

How to pronounce holdover

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “holdover”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈhoʊldˌoʊvɚ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “holdover”.
Repeat and practice — Say “holdover” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.