superfluous

adjective

su·​per·​flu·​ous su̇-ˈpər-flü-əs 

1

a

: exceeding what is sufficient or necessary : extra

a superfluous word/detail

Desserts after meals as sweet as these might be superfluous.

—Sam Sifton

b

: not needed : unnecessary

Further discussion seemed superfluous.

The concept of a summer scarf—even one this light—is superfluous yet chic.

—Liana Satenstein

2

obsolete : marked by wastefulness : extravagant

superfluously adverb

superfluousness noun

Did you know?

If, say, you were to go chasing waterfalls in addition to the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to, such a pursuit would be superfluous. In other words, you would be exceeding what is necessary to satisfy your need for water-based enjoyment and recreation. “You’ve already got rivers and lakes,” your friends might advise with a bit of TLC, “just stick to them!” “Extra water” is also key to understanding the history of the word superfluous, which entered Middle English from the Latin adjective superfluus, meaning literally “running over.” Superfluus, in turn, comes from the verb superfluere (“to overflow”), which combines the prefix super- (meaning “over”) and fluere, “to flow.” In addition to influencing superfluous, fluere also flowed into the English words affluent, influence, and fluid, among others.

Synonyms of superfluous

• extra
• excess
• surplus
• spare
• unnecessary

Examples of superfluous in a Sentence

In the Imagist model, the writer is a sculptor. Technique consists of chipping away everything superfluous in order to reveal the essential form within. "It took you ninety-seven words to do it," Pound is reported to have remarked to a young literary aspirant who had handed him a new poem. "I find it could have been managed in fifty-six." —Louis Menand, New Yorker, 9 & 16 June 2008

Oddly, despite the preponderance of superfluous words, the book has no glossary, which is a must for an introductory audience. —Dorothy Merritts, Eos, 3 Oct. 2000

Twenty years ago, baby boomers were written about as if every one of them had as a life goal making enough money to accumulate the same superfluous material objects that everyone else had. —Calvin Trillin, Time, 6 Sept. 1999

cleared off all the superfluous stuff on his desk to make room for the new computer

Recent Examples on the Web

Such a poor win to loss ratio would typically lead to thinking that a team should sell off superfluous parts in trades and search for younger players or draft assets in return. —Tony East, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026

Many of the most popular sports pundits cast off analytics as superfluous nerd drivel. —Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2026

The scenes that work less well and seem virtually superfluous are those with Kumail Nanjiani as Adeel, an environmental activist who drags Aaron along with him to break into a fracking site that is disturbing the breeding ground of…the sage grouse. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 27 Jan. 2026

Since the end of the Cold War, influential critics have been telling us that American dominance is superfluous and costly at best, destructive and dangerous at worst. —Robert Kagan, The Atlantic, 18 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin superfluus, literally, running over, from superfluere to overflow, from super- + fluere to flow — more at fluid

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for superfluous

• bus
• buss
• cuss
• fuss
• glace
• huss
• plus
• pus
• russ
• sus
• suss
• thus

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Kids Definition

superfluous

adjective

su·​per·​flu·​ous su̇-ˈpər-flə-wəs 

: going beyond what is enough or necessary : extra

superfluously

su̇-ˈpər-flə-wəs-lē

adverb

Etymology

Middle English superfluous "more than is needed," from Latin superfluus, literally, "running over," from superfluere "to overflow," from super- "over, in addition," and fluere "to flow" — related to fluid