superfluous Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective satellite serving no useful purpose; having no excuse for being
    pointless; senseless; purposeless; wasted; otiose.
    • otiose lines in a play
    • advice is wasted words
    • a pointless remark
    • a life essentially purposeless
    • senseless violence
  2. adjective satellite more than is needed, desired, or required
    supererogatory; extra; redundant; surplus; spare; excess; supernumerary.
    • trying to lose excess weight
    • found some extra change lying on the dresser
    • yet another book on heraldry might be thought redundant
    • skills made redundant by technological advance
    • sleeping in the spare room
    • supernumerary ornamentation
    • it was supererogatory of her to gloat
    • delete superfluous (or unnecessary) words
    • extra ribs as well as other supernumerary internal parts
    • surplus cheese distributed to the needy

WordNet

Su*per"flu*ous adjective
Etymology
L. superfluus overflowing; super over, above + fluere to flow. See Super-, and Fluent.
Definitions
  1. More than is wanted or is sufficient; rendered unnecessary by superabundance; unnecessary; useless; excessive; as, a superfluous price. Shak.
    An authority which makes all further argument or illustration superfluous. E. Everett.
    Syn. -- Unnecessary; useless; exuberant; excessive; redundant; needless. -- Su*per"flu*ous*ly, adv. -- Su*per"flu*ous*ness, n.

Webster 1913