redundant
ri-DUN-dunt
/rɪˈdʌndənt/
Not or no longer needed or useful; superfluous. (Of a person) no longer needed for a job and therefore without a job.
Implies an excess or superfluity, often because something else serves the purpose, or because a task has been automated. Can also refer to losing a job due to restructuring, not poor performance.
The story behind the word. "Redundant" comes from the Latin verb redundare, meaning "to overflow" or "to stream back." It's a combination of re- (meaning "again" or "back") and unda (meaning "wave"). So, something "redundant" is literally "overflowing" or "waving back" – it's more than what's needed. This sense of excess or superfluity has been in English since the 17th century.
Word relationships
- superfluous: Unnecessary, especially through being more than enough.
- unnecessary: Not needed.
- excessive: More than is necessary, normal, or desirable.
- essential: Absolutely necessary or important.
- necessary: Required to be done, achieved, or present; needed.
- indispensable: Absolutely necessary.
Commonly confused with
- irrelevant: "Redundant" means extra or superfluous. "Irrelevant" means not connected or pertinent. Something can be relevant but redundant (e.g., repeating a relevant point).
Word family
- redundancy (noun): the state of being redundant.
Collocations
- become redundant
- largely redundant
- redundant data
- redundant systems
- make redundant (people)
Example sentences
- "After the software update, many of the manual tasks became redundant." Describing automated processes.
- "To avoid redundant efforts, the team established clear roles and responsibilities." Discussing team efficiency.
- "The company made several positions redundant after implementing new automation." Referring to job losses due to automation.
Memory hook
"RE-DUN-DANT" – if you re-do something, it's often redundant. Re-do, extra
When not to use
Don't use "redundant" if something is simply wrong or ineffective; it specifically means "more than what is needed."
Fun facts
- In engineering, "redundancy" can be a positive thing, referring to duplicate components in a system designed to ensure continued operation in case of failure (e.g., redundant backup systems).
Related words
Explore more words
redundancy, Tautology, automation, Verbiage, discard, extravagance
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