redundancy

American  

[ri-duhn-duhn-see] / rɪˈdʌn dən si /

Sometimes redundance

noun

• redundancies
  plural

1. the state of being redundant.

2. superfluous repetition or overlapping, especially of words.

3. a redundant thing, part, or amount; superfluity.

4. the provision of additional or duplicate systems, equipment, etc., that function in case an operating part or system fails, as in a spacecraft.

5. Linguistics.

   1. the inclusion of more information than is necessary for communication, as in those cars, where both words are marked for plurality.

   2. the additional, predictable information so included.

   3. the degree of predictability thereby created.

6. Chiefly British.

   1. the condition or fact of being unemployed; unemployment.

   2. a layoff.

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redundancy British  

/ rɪˈdʌndənsɪ /

noun

1. 1. the state or condition of being redundant or superfluous, esp superfluous in one's job

   2. ( as modifier )

      a redundancy payment

2. excessive proliferation or profusion, esp of superfluity

3. duplication of components in electronic or mechanical equipment so that operations can continue following failure of a part

4. repetition of information or inclusion of additional information to reduce errors in telecommunication transmissions and computer processing

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redundancy Cultural  

1. Unnecessary repetition in speech or writing. The expression freedom and liberty is redundant.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• redundancies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of redundancy

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin redundantia “an overflowing, excess,” derivative of redundāns “overflowing, abounding”; see redundant

Explanation

Use the noun redundancy to refer to something that's needlessly repeated. As much as you hate the redundancy of math drills, you have to admit that repetition is how you learned to multiply in the first place. The noun redundancy can also refer to something that is unneeded, or extra. If you own a circus and you want to keep costs down by eliminating redundancy, you may decide you only need two clowns, rather than the whole carload of clowns you planned on. Redundancy comes from the Latin word redundare, meaning to surge, or literally to overflow.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

redundancy redundancies

Or more redundancy could have been built into the supply chains, but this would have cost money for contingencies that few took seriously enough to fund.

From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2026

Volkswagen is weighing up to 100,000 job cuts across its 10 brands while Mercedes-Benz has its own voluntary redundancy program.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

Max spent £20,000 from his redundancy package buying and converting a horsebox trailer into a pizza truck, which now caters for weddings, parties and pop-ups.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

So now, in a move of epic and time-wasting redundancy, Disney has remade the movie in lockstep with that ubiquitous original.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

For redundancy, the supply probes had enough food to last the whole crew fifty-six days.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Of course, power providers build in redundancies to make up for these risks and model their best guesses for how long each piece of equipment will last.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

Plant officials maintain that Diablo is safe and subject to constant seismic studies and layers of redundancies to prevent a nuclear meltdown.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

In a sign of the union’s power, the deal ruled out compulsory redundancies and site closures in Germany at least until the end of 2030.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

The BBC will axe some programming and may impose compulsory redundancies to deliver hundreds of millions of pounds of previously announced savings, its new Director-General Matt Brittin told staff Wednesday.

From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026

Speaking of redundancies, think twice before using expressions like advance reservations, final conclusion, foreign import, free gift, prerecorded, refer back, or safe haven.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner

Related Words

• repetition