supernumerary
Americanadjective
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being in excess of the usual, proper, or prescribed number; additional; extra.
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associated with a regular body or staff as an assistant or substitute in case of necessity.
noun
plural
supernumeraries-
a supernumerary or extra person or thing.
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a supernumerary official or employee.
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a person who appears in a play or film without speaking lines or as part of a crowd; walk-on; extra.
adjective
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exceeding a regular or proper number; extra
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functioning as a substitute or assistant with regard to a regular body or staff
noun
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a person or thing that exceeds the normal, required, or regular number
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a person who functions as a substitute or assistant
-
an actor who has no lines, esp a nonprofessional one
Etymology
Origin of supernumerary
From the Late Latin word supernumerārius, dating back to 1595–1605. See super-, numerary
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Among the supernumerary features: 13 cupholders, seven USB-C ports, two 120V outlets, and three-zone climate control.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025
One-hour training is enough for people to carry a task alone with their supernumerary robotic arms as effectively as with a partner, study finds.
From Science Daily • Sep. 27, 2023
Because that's what Japanese company Exii recently premiered with their Jizai Arms — a robotic arm bag, or "supernumerary robotic limb system" that enables humans to control six additional AI robotic limbs.
From Salon • May 28, 2023
Discharged in seven months as a supernumerary, he lied again and joined the Navy, where he stayed for five years, serving as a radar operator until he was honorably discharged in 1964.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 10, 2021
It was this extra attention to detail, a supernumerary zeal to approach perfection that led him to spend part of each weekday morning at Hobie’s Grill.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
