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superfluous - 6 dictionary results

su⋅per⋅flu⋅ous

  [soo-pur-floo-uhs]
Use superfluous in a Sentence
–adjective
1. being more than is sufficient or required; excessive.
2. unnecessary or needless.
3. Obsolete. possessing or spending more than enough or necessary; extravagant.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME < L superfluus, equiv. to super- super- + flu- (s. of fluere to flow) + -us -ous

Related forms:
su⋅per⋅flu⋅ous⋅ly, adverb
su⋅per⋅flu⋅ous⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. extra; redundant.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To superfluous
su·per·flu·ous   (sŏŏ-pûr'flōō-əs)   
adj.  Being beyond what is required or sufficient.

[Middle English, from Old French superflueux, from Latin superfluus, from superfluere, to overflow : super-, super- + fluere, to flow; see bhleu- in Indo-European roots.]
su·per'flu·ous·ly adv., su·per'flu·ous·ness n.
Synonyms: 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, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Main Entry:  superfluous1
Part of Speech:  adj
Definition:  more than enough; overabundant; extra
Etymology:  Latin super- + fluere 'to flow'
Main Entry:  superfluous2
Part of Speech:  adj
Definition:  unnecessary; uncalled-for; wasteful
Etymology:  Latin super- + fluere 'to flow'
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Language Translation for : superfluous
Spanish: superfluo,
German: überflüssig,
Japanese: 余分の
More Translations »

Superfluous

Su*per"flu*ous\, a. [L. superfluus overflowing; super over, above + fluere to flow. See Super-, and Fluent.] More than is wanted or is sufficient; rendered unnecessary by superabundance; unnecessary; useless; excessive; as, a superfluous price. --Shak.

An authority which makes all further argument or illustration superfluous. --E. Everett.

Superfluous interval (Mus.), an interval that exceeds a major or perfect interval by a semitone.

Syn: Unnecessary; useless; exuberant; excessive; redundant; needless. -- Su*per"flu*ous*ly, adv. -- Su*per"flu*ous*ness, n.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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superfluous 
c.1380 (superflue), from L. superfluus "unnecessary," lit. "overflowing," from superfluere "to overflow," from super "over" (see super-) + fluere "to flow" (see fluent).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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