supererogatory
Americanadjective
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going beyond the requirements of duty.
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greater than that required or needed; superfluous.
adjective
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performed to an extent exceeding that required or expected
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exceeding what is needed; superfluous
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RC Church of, characterizing, or relating to prayers, good works, etc, performed over and above those prescribed as obligatory
Other Word Forms
- supererogatorily adverb
Etymology
Origin of supererogatory
From the Medieval Latin word superērogātōrius, dating back to 1585–95. See supererogate, -tory 1
Explanation
Something that is supererogatory goes way beyond what’s required. Washing all the dishes, sweeping the floor, and taking out the trash would be supererogatory if your dad only asked you to put your plate in the dishwasher. The adjective supererogatory was originally used in a religious context — Roman Catholic theology defined supererogatory acts as those that exceeded God's requirements. The Latin root, supererogatio, means "a payment in addition" — it derives from super ("above”) and erogare ("pay out"). Think of supererogatory actions as going the extra mile, like leaving a hundred dollar tip at a diner or shoveling the whole block instead of just your own sidewalk.
Vocabulary lists containing supererogatory
Power Prefix: super-
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100 SAT words Beginning with "S"
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Babbitt
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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.
When I’m feeling especially Muslim, I stop by the mosque for a free plate of food, and the supererogatory Ramadan evening prayer called Taraweeh.
From Slate • Apr. 23, 2020
For this, Johnson King introduced me to the term supererogatory, which describes moral acts that are “above and beyond” the call of duty.
From Slate • Apr. 15, 2019
Practically, the necktie is as supererogatory as those little belts and buckles that used to adorn the backs of men's trousers.
From Time Magazine Archive
What can a director do with such supererogatory skimble-scamble?
From Time Magazine Archive
‘Didactic poetry,’ he declares, ‘is my abhorrence: nothing can be equally well expressed in prose that is not tedious and supererogatory in verse.’
From Oxford Lectures on Poetry by Bradley, Andrew Cecil
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.
