late 14c., from O.Fr. remain-, stressed stem of remanoir, from L. remanere "to remain, to stay behind," from re- "back" + manere "to stay, remain." Remains (n.), euphemism for "corpse," is attested from c.1700, from mortal remains. The noun remain "those left over or surviving" is attested from late 15c., but the more usual n. form in Eng. has been remainder (earlly 15c.), from Anglo-Fr. remainder (O.Fr. remaindre), variant of O.Fr. remanoir.