superfluity
/ˌsuːpəˈfluːɪti
/noun (plural superfluities)
1An unnecessarily or excessively large amount or number of something: a superfluity of unoccupied time...
- As a necessary consequence of the proliferation of the human species men began to depart from the simplicity of the earlier times; they sought for new means to increase the amenities of life and to acquire a superfluity of goods.
- After all, what else can one expect, when a superfluity of worthless crooks abound?
- In this land of efficiency there is a superfluity of interesting things to be seen.
Synonyms
surplus, excess, overabundance, glut, surfeit, profusion, plethora, embarrassment, avalanche, deluge, flood, overload
1.1An unnecessary thing: they thought the garrison a superfluity...
- If our contentions are correct, it was entirely unnecessary and would have been a superfluity in the circumstances of this case to have had such a clause.
- This is why fine writing, which is regarded as a superfluity, enters the mainstream media only when it can be translated into the prevailing terms.
- Having an outside force influence him was a jarring superfluity.
1.2 [mass noun] The state of being superfluous: servants who had nothing to do but to display their own superfluity...
- In a definitive show of superfluity, they tried selling me tanning lotion.
- Anything that smacked of luxury or superfluity was anathema to him.
- In response to my post on idiomatic similes for superfluity and uselessness in German and English, several people emailed to draw my attention to common expressions such as ‘as useless as a chocolate teapot’ or ‘as a chocolate fireguard’.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French superfluite, from late Latin superfluitas, from Latin superfluus 'running over' (see superfluous).