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supererogate

[soo-per-er-uh-geyt]
verb (used without object), su·per·er·o·gat·ed, su·per·er·o·gat·ing.
  1. to do more than duty requires.
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Origin of supererogate

1730–40; < Late Latin superērogātus (past participle of superērogāre to pay out in addition), equivalent to super- super- + ērogātus past participle of ērogāre to pay out, equivalent to ē- e-1 + rog(ere) to ask + -ātus -ate1
Related formssu·per·er·o·ga·tion, nounsu·per·er·o·ga·tor, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for supererogate

Historical Examples of supererogate

  • To supererogate is to overpay, or to do more than duty requires.

    Write It Right

    Ambrose Bierce

  • But for all that, Horse Shoe, he wa'n't going to supererogate me, without getting as good as he sent.

    Horse-Shoe Robinson

    John Pendleton Kennedy

British Dictionary definitions for supererogate

supererogate

verb
  1. (intr) obsolete to do or perform more than is required
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Derived Formssupererogator, noun

Word Origin for supererogate

C16: from Late Latin superērogāre to spend over and above, from Latin super- + ērogāre to pay out
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