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View synonyms for surplus

surplus

[ sur-pluhs, -pluhs ]

noun

  1. something that remains above what is used or needed.

    Synonyms: superabundance

  2. an amount, quantity, etc., greater than needed.
  3. agricultural produce or a quantity of food grown by a nation or area in excess of its needs, especially such a quantity of food purchased and stored by a governmental program of guaranteeing farmers a specific price for certain crops.
  4. Accounting.
    1. the excess of assets over liabilities accumulated throughout the existence of a business, excepting assets against which stock certificates have been issued; excess of net worth over capital-stock value.
    2. an amount of assets in excess of what is requisite to meet liabilities.


adjective

  1. being a surplus; being in excess of what is required:

    surplus wheat.

verb (used with object)

surplussed or surplusedsurplussing or surplusing
  1. to treat as surplus; sell off; retire:

    The government surplussed some of its desert lands.

surplus

/ ˈsɜːpləs /

noun

  1. a quantity or amount in excess of what is required
  2. accounting
    1. an excess of total assets over total liabilities
    2. an excess of actual net assets over the nominal value of capital stock
    3. an excess of revenues over expenditures during a certain period of time
  3. economics
    1. an excess of government revenues over expenditures during a certain financial year
    2. an excess of receipts over payments on the balance of payments
“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

adjective

  1. being in excess; extra
“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

surplus

  1. An unsold quantity of a good resulting from a lack of equilibrium in a market. For example, if a price is artificially high, sellers will bring more goods to the market than buyers will be willing to buy. ( Compare shortage .)
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Word History and Origins

Origin of surplus1

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Old French surplus, s(o)urplus, from Medieval Latin superplūs, equivalent to super- preposition and prefix + plūs neuter noun; super-, plus
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Word History and Origins

Origin of surplus1

C14: from Old French, from Medieval Latin superplūs, from Latin super- + plūs more
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Synonym Study

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Example Sentences

Even Whole Foods has joined the movement, offering its own grab bags of surplus food via Too Good to Go.

From Salon

After purchasing these infrequently used rights, the slow and expensive leasing process deters cities from leasing surplus rights back to irrigators in normal or wet years, which reduces long-term agricultural productivity.

Australia and India had surpluses to sell, and the high prices spurred exports from Brazil.

He wants to fundamentally change the global economic map, and reduce China and Europe’s trade surplus with the US, which he views as “ripping off America”.

From BBC

Miller also leads her department’s real estate group, whose responsibilities include evaluating surplus and underutilized properties — at the request of the City Council — that have potential for redevelopment.

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surplicesurplus value