superfluous
adjective
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.
Examples of superfluous in a Sentence
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
Rachel Desantis, People.com, 21 Apr. 2025
There’s never a dull joke or a line that doesn’t quite work or a piece of information that’s superfluous.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2025
Sequels to video-game movies no one asked for in the first place are the definition of superfluous, but a sequel to this Ratchet & Clank would be worth considering.
—Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025
Only Lochlan’s near-death experience, induced by a poisonous protein shake, was a truly superfluous bit of silliness, turning a Vitamix of all things into a weapon in waiting.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for superfluous
Cite this Entry
“Superfluous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superfluous. Accessed 9 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
superfluous
adjective
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
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