What does dreg mean?
A dreg is the small quantity of liquid left in a vessel along with the sediment that has settled at its bottom — the gritty grounds in an unfinished cup of coffee, or the lees in the bottom of a wine cask. In practice the word appears almost entirely in its plural form, 'dregs', which carries two well-established figurative senses: the least valuable remnant of anything, and, more harshly, people considered the most degraded or contemptible members of society, as in 'the dregs of society'. The word derives ultimately from Old Norse 'dregg', meaning sediment, entering English via Scandinavian influence during the Middle Ages. Its tone ranges from neutral in literal use (coffee dregs) to strongly pejorative in figurative use. A classic idiom, 'to drain a cup to the dregs', is often used metaphorically for experiencing something — pleasure or suffering — to its very end.
nounA dreg is a small remaining amount of liquid, together with the sediment that settles at the bottom of a container. More broadly, the plural 'dregs' refers to the least valuable remnants or most contemptible members of something.
- The sediment or grounds that settle at the bottom of a container of liquid such as coffee, wine, or tea.
- (in plural) The least desirable or most worthless part of something.
- (in plural, figurative) People regarded as the lowest or most degraded members of society.
"He drained his cup of coffee right down to the dregs."
"She tipped out the cold tea, dregs and all."
"The abandoned factory district had become the dregs of the city's housing market."
'Dregs' is by far the commoner form and is treated as a plural noun; the rare singular 'dreg' survives mostly in literary contexts.
"At the bottom of her mug sat the bitter dregs of the morning's coffee."
You'll almost never meet just one dreg — this word lives almost exclusively in its plural, and for centuries 'to drink the dregs' has been shorthand for enduring life's bitterest moments.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dreg
The word comes from Old Norse 'dregg', meaning sediment or dregs, which passed into Middle English during the medieval period through Scandinavian contact, particularly in northern England. Cognates survive in the modern Scandinavian languages, such as Danish and Norwegian 'dræg'. It has always denoted the residue settling at the bottom of fermented or brewed liquids, and its figurative uses developed from that literal sense.
Related word forms
How dreg is actually used
Almost always used in the plural ('dregs'); the singular 'dreg' is rare and chiefly literary. The literal sense is neutral, but the figurative senses are strongly negative and can sound judgmental when applied to people.
Easily confused with dreg
'Drag' means to pull something along the ground or a boring nuisance, while 'dreg' refers to sediment or worthless residue at the bottom of a container.