surplus
SER-plus
/ˈsɜːr.pləs/
An amount left over when requirements have been met; an excess of production or supply over demand.
Highlights an extra, usable quantity remaining after all obligations or needs have been satisfied.
The story behind the word. In Medieval Latin, scribes coined superplus by sticking super (over/above) onto plus (more). Passed into Old French as surplus, it arrived in English in the 14th century to describe remaining crops or money sitting on top of what was needed to survive.
Word relationships
- excess: 'Excess' can imply an undesirable or wasteful overabundance, whereas 'surplus' usually implies a useful reserve.
- glut: 'Glut' implies an overwhelming oversupply that saturates and depresses the market.
- deficit: The amount by which spending exceeds income or supply falls short.
Commonly confused with
- shortage: A shortage is a lack of supply to meet demand, which is the direct opposite of a surplus.
Word family
- surplusage (noun): An excess or redundancy in legal phrasing or accounting records.
Collocations
- budget surplus
- trade surplus
- surplus value
- surplus goods
Example sentences
- "A bumper grain harvest created a massive crop surplus, driving down commodity prices globally." Agricultural markets (Associated Press)
- "The state government allocated its annual budget surplus toward repairing local bridges and funding schools." Public budgeting
Memory hook
SUR (over) + PLUS (more) = OVER and ABOVE what is needed. Over and above requirement.
When not to use
Avoid using for unwanted trash; surplus implies extra value or material that can be sold, stored, or reallocated.
Fun facts
- Literally formed by putting two words for 'more' together: super + plus!
Explore more words
Consumer Surplus, abundance, deficit, Supply, supplementary, supplement
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