redundancy

noun

re·​dun·​dan·​cy ri-ˈdən-dən(t)-sē How to pronounce redundancy (audio)
plural redundancies
1
a
: the quality or state of being redundant : superfluity
b
: the use of redundant components
also : such components
c
chiefly British : dismissal from a job especially by layoff
2
3
a
: superfluous repetition : prolixity
b
: an act or instance of needless repetition
4
: the part of a message that can be eliminated without loss of essential information

Did you know?

Redundancy, closely related to redound, has stayed close to the original meaning of "overflow" or "more than necessary". Avoiding redundancy is one of the prime rules of good writing. ""In the modern world of today" contains a redundancy; so does "He died of fatal wounds" and "For the mutual benefit of both parties". But redundancy doesn't just occur in language. "Data redundancy" means keeping the same computer data in more than one place as a safety measure, and a backup system in an airplane may provide redundancy, again for the sake of safety.

Examples of redundancy in a Sentence

Avoid redundancy in your writing. Try to avoid using redundancies in your writing. The design incorporates several redundancies. a system with a high level of redundancy The restructuring is expected to result in the redundancy of several hundred workers. The workers are now facing redundancy.
Recent Examples on the Web Lowe can senses when the film might grow tiresome when Agnes is stuck in a self-defeating cycle, apt to throw in a particularly sadistic flourish into the mix any time a feeling of redundancy could set in. Stephen Saito, Variety, 16 Mar. 2024 While perhaps nobody is more directly impacted by the move than Davis, the incumbent third baseman who now is a bit of a redundancy with Wilmer Flores already on the roster as a right-handed hitting reserve corner infielder, adding a player of Chapman’s caliber carries larger implications. Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2024 Multiple fans add a level of redundancy if one system fails, and there will be a ballistic parachute for a total failure. Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2024 But during the 1990s, when the teachings of W. Edwards Deming held sway, older industrial concepts such as redundancy and resilience became synonymous with inefficiency and excess. Daniel Foster, National Review, 30 Nov. 2023 This redundancy can also hamper police officers’ ability to enforce the law, said council member Sarah Bagley in Tuesday’s meeting. Danny Nguyen, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2023 The tide has officially turned in Big Tech following the lockdown hiring spree: job cuts are coming thick and fast, with Google the latest in a long line of companies announcing redundancies in order to meet its goals. Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 18 Jan. 2024 One of the major tenets of emergency preparedness and disaster response plans is redundancy. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024 Their cables have double redundancy for the people who are up in the air. Patrick Neas, Kansas City Star, 9 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'redundancy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of redundancy was in 1601

Dictionary Entries Near redundancy

Cite this Entry

“Redundancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redundancy. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

redundancy

noun
re·​dun·​dan·​cy ri-ˈdən-dən-sē How to pronounce redundancy (audio)
plural redundancies
1
: the quality or state of being redundant
2
a
: the use of unnecessary words
b
: an act or instance of needless repetition

More from Merriam-Webster on redundancy

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