Excess Definition

ĭk-sĕs, ĕksĕs
excesses
noun
excesses
The state of exceeding what is normal or sufficient.
Rains that filled the reservoirs to excess.
American Heritage
An amount or quantity greater than is necessary, desirable, usable, etc.; too much; superfluity.
Webster's New World
Action or conduct that goes beyond the usual, reasonable, or lawful limit.
Webster's New World
Lack of moderation; intemperance; overindulgence.
Webster's New World
The amount or degree by which one thing exceeds another; remainder; surplus.
Webster's New World
adjective
More than usual; extra; surplus.
Excess profits.
Webster's New World

More than is normal, necessary or specified.

Wiktionary
verb
To do away with the position or job of.
The science center excessed many researchers.
Webster's New World
idiom
in excess of
  • Greater than; more than:

    unit sales in excess of 20 million.

American Heritage
in excess of
  • more than
Webster's New World
to excess
  • to too great an extent or degree; too much
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Excess

Noun

Singular:
excess
Plural:
excesses

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Excess

Origin of Excess

  • From Middle English exces (“excess, ecstasy”), from Old French exces, from Latin excessus (“a going out, loss of self-possession”), from excedere, excessum (“to go out, go beyond”). See exceed.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English from Old French from Latin excessus past participle of excēdere to exceed exceed

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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