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superannuated

[soo-per-an-yoo-ey-tid]
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adjective
  1. retired because of age or infirmity.
  2. too old for use, work, service, or a position.
  3. antiquated or obsolete: superannuated ideas.
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Origin of superannuated

1625–35; alteration (with -u- of annual) of Medieval Latin superannātus over a year old (said of cattle), equivalent to super ann(um) beyond a year + -ātus -ate1; see -ed2

superannuate

[soo-per-an-yoo-eyt]
verb (used with object), su·per·an·nu·at·ed, su·per·an·nu·at·ing.
  1. to allow to retire from service or office on a pension because of age or infirmity.
  2. to set aside as out of date; remove as too old.
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verb (used without object), su·per·an·nu·at·ed, su·per·an·nu·at·ing.
  1. to be or become old, out of date, or retired.
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Origin of superannuate

First recorded in 1640–50; back formation from superannuated
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

antiquated, outmoded, dated, aged, old, old-fashioned, outdated, obsolete, senile, passe

Examples from the Web for superannuated

Historical Examples

  • It is too depressing, these vagaries, these senile ramblings of a superannuated musician.

    Old Fogy

    James Huneker

  • Started a superannuated fortune, and just now upon the full scent.

  • It was a boon to superannuated officers, and the number was limited.

    The Indian in his Wigwam

    Henry R. Schoolcraft

  • Then there will be a demonstration, at any rate, and then the thing will be superannuated.

  • Of their small force some of the soldiers were superannuated, others invalid.

    The Fort Dearborn Massacre

    Linai Taliaferro Helm

British Dictionary definitions for superannuated

superannuated

adjective
  1. discharged, esp with a pension, owing to age or illness
  2. too old to serve usefully
  3. obsolete
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Word Origin

C17: from Medieval Latin superannātus aged more than one year, from Latin super- + annus a year

superannuate

verb (tr)
  1. to pension off
  2. to discard as obsolete or old-fashioned
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for superannuated

adj.

"retired on account of old age," 1630s, "obsolete, out of date," from Medieval Latin superannuatus "more than a year old" (of cattle), from Latin super "beyond, over" (see super-) + annus "year" (see annual).

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superannuate

v.

1640s, back-formation from superannuated. Related: Superannuating.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper