noun
surviving retainer; former retainer
Historical term for a retainer who remains loyal to a fallen lord or clan, often after a defeat or dissolution. Used mainly in historical or literary contexts.
彼は滅亡した藩の遺臣として、主君の墓を守り続けた。
As a surviving retainer of the fallen domain, he continued to guard his lord's grave.
遺臣たちは密かに再興を企てていた。
The former retainers were secretly plotting a restoration.
Compound of 遺 (い, 'left behind, surviving') and 臣 (しん, 'retainer, subject'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is conventionally associated with loyal retainers of a defeated clan.