surplus Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a quantity much larger than is needed
    nimiety; surplusage; excess.
  2. adjective satellite more than is needed, desired, or required
    supererogatory; extra; redundant; spare; excess; superfluous; 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

Sur"plus noun
Etymology
F., fr. sur over + plus more. See Sur-, and Plus, and cf. Superplus.
Definitions
  1. That which remains when use or need is satisfied, or when a limit is reached; excess; overplus.
  2. Specifically, an amount in the public treasury at any time greater than is required for the ordinary purposes of the government. = budgetary surplus
Sur"plus adjective
Definitions
  1. Being or constituting a surplus; more than sufficient; as, surplus revenues; surplus population; surplus words.
    When the price of corn falleth, men give over surplus tillage, and break no more ground. Carew.

Webster 1913