English vocabulary · C1
Supernumerary
/ˌsuː.pɚˈnuː.mə.rer.i/ · adj., n.
Supernumerary means more than you need. Four chairs are enough, but a fifth chair is extra.
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Example sentences
- Five chairs were supernumerary.
- One actor was supernumerary.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- super — over (from Latin)
- numer — number (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- EXTRA — more than needed (More Than Needed)
- SPARE — kept just in case (Kept Just In Case)
- ADDED — put in later (Put In Later)
Words with the same root
numer — number
- number — a count
- numeral — a number sign
- enumerate — list one by one
Lesson notes
Supernumerary means more than you need. Four chairs are enough, but a fifth chair is extra.
Related: extra, spare, added. Use supernumerary when one is too many.
Five chairs were supernumerary. One actor was supernumerary.
From Latin. Super- means over. Numer- means number. Over the number is supernumerary.