surplus

1 of 2

noun

sur·​plus ˈsər-(ˌ)pləs How to pronounce surplus (audio)
1
a
: the amount that remains when use or need is satisfied
b
: an excess of receipts over disbursements
2
: the excess of a corporation's net worth over the par or stated value of its stock

surplus

2 of 2

adjective

: more than the amount that is needed : constituting a surplus
surplus food/clothing/equipment
When the sea captains returned, they would sell their surplus wares on the wharves.Carol Vogel
Long before the comparable worth battles of today, the economic value of women's work was evident to farm women who set prices for the surplus butter, candles, soap, honey, preserves, chickens, and eggs they raised or manufactured.Mary Kay Blakely

Examples of surplus in a Sentence

Noun If there is any surplus, it will be divided equally. There is a surplus of workers and not enough jobs. Adjective surplus stock gets shipped to the warehouse and is eventually sold at auction
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Plains All American Pipeline has a working capital surplus of $33 million and approximately $3.3 billion of liquidity available as of September 30, 2024. Quartz Bot, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024 Newsom, first elected in 2018, temporarily increased the incentive by $90 million when the state enjoyed a large pandemic-era surplus in 2021. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 27 Oct. 2024
Adjective
The filing also details various financial agreements, including a surplus note issued by Vidalia Re and a revolving credit facility with a syndicate of commercial banks. Quartz Bot, Quartz, 7 Nov. 2024 The United States has obligingly shipped hundreds of surplus M-2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles in order to keep the 47th Mechanized Brigade’s assault battalions fully equipped with modern vehicles despite those battalions suffering heavy losses. David Axe, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for surplus 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin superplus, from Latin super- + plus more — more at plus

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1589, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of surplus was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near surplus

Cite this Entry

“Surplus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surplus. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

surplus

noun
sur·​plus ˈsər-(ˌ)pləs How to pronounce surplus (audio)
1
: the amount more than what is required or necessary : excess
2
: an excess of income over spending
surplus adjective

Legal Definition

surplus

noun
sur·​plus ˈsər-ˌpləs How to pronounce surplus (audio)
1
a
: an amount that remains when a use or need is satisfied
b
: an excess of receipts over disbursements
c
: the value of assets after subtracting liabilities
2
: an excess of the net worth of a corporation over the par value of its capital stock compare undivided profits
capital surplus
: all surplus other than earned surplus
earned surplus
: the surplus that remains after deducting losses, distributions to stockholders, and transfers to capital stock accounts
paid-in surplus
: surplus resulting from the sale of stock at amounts above par

More from Merriam-Webster on surplus

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