superfluous

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   More than is needed; unnecessary.

   With a full rain jacket on, carrying an umbrella seemed superfluous.

2. 2
   adj

   Serving no useful purpose.

   The editor cut every superfluous word from the article.

From Middle English superfluous, from Latin superfluus (“superfluous”), from superfluō (“overflow”), from super (“above, more than, over”) + fluō (“flow”). Compare mellifluous and fluid, also from Latin. Literally corresponds to overflow, which is from Germanic, rather than Latin.

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