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supernumerary - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'supernumerary' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Supernumerary [ a.]
- Exceeding the number stated or prescribed; as, a supernumerary officer in a regiment.
- Exceeding a necessary, usual, or required number or quality; superfluous; as, supernumerary addresses; supernumerary expense.
2 . Supernumerary [ n.]
- A person or thing beyond the number stated.
- A person or thing beyond what is necessary or usual; especially, a person employed not for regular service, but only to fill the place of another in case of need; specifically, in theaters, a person who is not a regular actor, but is employed to appear in a stage spectacle.

Meaning of 'supernumerary' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . supernumerary [ n]
Meaning (1):
- a person serving no apparent function
Example in sentence:
  • reducing staff is difficult because our employees include no supernumeraries
2 . supernumerary [ s]
Meaning (2):
- more than is needed, desired, or required
Example in sentence:
  • delete superfluous (or unnecessary) words;
  • extra ribs as well as other supernumerary internal parts;
  • found some extra change lying on the dresser;
  • it was supererogatory of her to gloat;
  • skills made redundant by technological advance;
  • sleeping in the spare room;
  • supernumerary ornamentation;
  • surplus cheese distributed to the needy;
  • trying to lose excess weight;
  • yet another book on heraldry might be thought redundant

Nearby Words:

sup supawn supe super super- superable superabound superabundance superabundant superacidulated

See 'supernumerary' also in:

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