restant

Restant is primarily a French term that functions as both an adjective meaning remaining or leftover and as a noun meaning the remainder or the part that remains. It derives from the verb rester, “to remain,” and is used in everyday as well as formal contexts. In French usage, restant appears frequently in financial and administrative language, for example le montant restant dû refers to the amount still owed, and le solde restant denotes the remaining balance after deductions. The phrase reste à payer is common to indicate the portion that remains unpaid. The word inflects for gender and number: le restant, la restante, les restants, les restantes, depending on the noun it modifies.

In English-language texts, restant is rare and typically appears only in specialized or bilingual contexts. When it does occur, it is usually translated as remainder, outstanding balance, or remaining amount. In historical accounting, estate settlements, or legal documents, you may encounter the term in its original French form or as a gloss.

Related terms include reste (the rest or remainder in general), restant, and restants as plural forms. As an adjective, restant is used to emphasize what remains after a deduction or process.

Overall, restant provides a precise way to indicate what remains, complementing more general words like remainder or balance. Its usage is clearest in French and in bilingual legal or financial texts.