surplusage
noun
sur·plus·age
ˈsər-(ˌ)plə-sij 
1
2
a
: excessive or nonessential matter
b
: matter introduced in legal pleading which is not necessary or relevant to the case
Synonyms
Examples of surplusage in a Sentence
a mall with a surplusage of stores all selling the same lines of clothing
Recent Examples on the Web
In everyday speech, in legal texts and even in translations of Genesis, one person’s surplusage may be another person’s way of dealing with inevitable trade-offs between clarity and concision.
—
Sam Bray, Washington Post, 25 June 2017
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.
Sam Bray, Washington Post, 25 June 2017
Dictionary Entries Near surplusage
Cite this Entry
“Surplusage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surplusage. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
surplusage
noun
sur·plus·age
ˈsər-ˌplə-sij
: excessive or nonessential matter
especially
: matter contained in a pleading that is unnecessary or irrelevant
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share