superfluous
/sʌpərˈfluːʃəs/ · suh-per-FLOO-shus
adjective
- In excess of what is required or sufficient. With a full rain suit, carrying an umbrella may be superfluous.
- Exceeding what is necessary or sufficient; excessive. The extra decorations made the room look superfluous and overdone.
- Unnecessary or redundant. The redundant safety features in the new car model made it superfluous and expensive.
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Antonyms
Did you know? The word 'superfluous' has been used in various contexts, including literature and philosophy. For instance, the 19th-century philosopher John Stuart Mill used the term in his essay 'On Liberty' to describe the excesses of government intervention.