superfluous

su·per·flu·ous

Use superfluous in a sentence

Adding another stuffed toy would be superfluous.

adjective

The definition of superfluous is something that is more than needed or unnecessary.

An example of superfluous is a buying a stuffed animal for a child who already has too many stuffed animals.

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"superfluous." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Superfluous>.

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superfluous. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Superfluous

superfluous

being more than is needed, useful, or wanted; surplus; excessive
not needed; unnecessary; irrelevant: a superfluous remark
Obs. extravagant; prodigal

Origin of superfluous

Classical Latin superfluus from superfluere, to overflow: see super- and fluctuate

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MLA Style

"superfluous." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Superfluous>.

APA Style

superfluous. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Superfluous

superfluous

adjective

Being beyond what is required or sufficient.

Origin of superfluous

Middle English from Old French superflueux from Latin superfluus from superfluere to overflow super- super- fluere to flow ; see bhleu- in Indo-European roots.

Related Forms:

su·per′flu·ous·ly
adverb

su·per′flu·ous·ness
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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MLA Style

"superfluous." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Superfluous>.

APA Style

superfluous. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Superfluous

superfluous

superfluous excess extra spare supernumerary surplus

These adjectives mean being more than is needed, desired, required, or appropriate: delete superfluous words; trying to lose excess weight; found some extra change on the dresser; sleeping in the spare room; supernumerary ornamentation; distributed surplus food to the needy.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"superfluous." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 20 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Superfluous>.

APA Style

superfluous. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Superfluous

Adjective

(not comparable)

In excess of what is required or sufficient.
With a full rain suit, carrying an umbrella may be superfluous.

Origin

From Latin superfluus (“superfluous"), from superfluÅ (“overflow"), from super (“above,more than, over") + fluÅ (“flow"). Compare mellifluous and fluid, also from Latin. Literally corresponds to overflow, which is from Germanic, rather than Latin.

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.