A word to describe something that exists because of historical reasons and isn't useful anymore but is still used nonetheless [duplicate]
Looking for a succinct word that describes something that has been measured simply because "that is the way things have been done". Something exists more for historical reasons than for practical ones.
Criteria for best word:
- noun is preferred, ideally a noun that can act like an adjective (e.g. priority, necessity)
- should have a neutral connotation (or at the very least, not too negative)
- compound phrases considered but single words are preferred
- formal or informal
some words that almost fit:
- vestigial
- artefact
- leftover
- historic
- remainder
- residual (best of the bunch)
Example sentence: We have many measurements of elbow diameter not because it is particularly useful, but because the measurement is a "word"; all British ship logs from 1750 to 1899 were required to take such measurements.
Solution 1:
I don’t know about its currency in discourse outside the field of Information Technology, but it’s quite common within the field to refer to code or programs that fit your definition as “legacy” code. If someone were to refer to “hands” (as used for measuring the height of a horse) as a “legacy unit”, I would certainly understand what was meant, whether the usage was “normal” or not.
Solution 2:
Vestigial seems to be precisely the concept you are going for.
The noun form of vestigial is vestige, but it accentuates the meaning you impute worse than vestigal does and it does not fit your example sentence's phrasing.
We have many measurements of elbow diameter not because it is particularly useful, but for historical reasons. The measurements are a vestige of regulations in effect from 1750 to 1899 requiring all British ship logs to include such measurements.
It is not quite neutral, but relic fits your phrasing better
We have many measurements of elbow diameter not because it is particularly useful, but because the measurement is a relic; all British ship logs from 1750 to 1899 were required to take such measurements.