noun
dregs
drehgz
noun
1
The gritty sediment that settles at the bottom of a drink, especially unfiltered wine or coffee.
"She tipped out the last of her coffee, dregs and all."
"The wine bottle had left dregs at the bottom of the glass."
2
The most worthless or lowest part of something, especially people.
"He called the gang the dregs of society."
How to Use Dregs
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe leftover bits at the bottom of a drink, or (as an insult) the worst people in a group.
Common mistake
Always used as a plural — there is no singular "dreg" in modern use.
Common pairings
the dregs of society
coffee dregs
to the dregs
Word Forms
dreg singular
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Etymology
From an old Scandinavian-derived word meaning sediment, related to the sludge left in a barrel of drink.