Dictionary traceTiny amount

noun

trace

A slight remaining indication of something.

A faint trace of perfume still lingers in the room.

Etymology

traceOld Frenchtrack or mark

A track remains after something has passed. Trace broadens that surviving mark to any slight indication of an earlier presence.

More examples

Tests reveal traces of lead in the water.
She smiles without a trace of bitterness.
A trace of sauce remains on the plate.

Forms

trace · traces

Similar words

vestige: Emphasizes a surviving sign of something mostly gone.
residue: Usually means material left behind after removal or processing.
hint: Suggests a faint indication, not necessarily something left behind.