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superannuated

soo-per-AN-yoo-ay-tid /ˌsuːpərˈænjuːeɪtɪd/

adjectiveC2GRE

FormalLiterary

Obsolete or out of date due to age; (of a person) retired or discharged from service with a pension because of old age or infirmity.

A very formal and somewhat archaic word itself. It strongly emphasizes age as the reason for being outdated or retired. For objects, it means extremely old and no longer useful. For people, it means retired due to age.

The story behind the word. "Superannuated" comes from the Latin prefix super- (meaning "above" or "beyond") and annus (meaning "year"). So, it literally means "beyond its years" or "over-aged." It originally referred to people who were too old for service and were given a pension. By extension, it came to describe things that were too old to be useful or efficient, having exceeded their useful lifespan.

Word relationships

obsolete: No longer produced or used; out of date.
antiquated: Old-fashioned or outdated, especially to the point of being impractical.
retired (for people): Having stopped working because of age.

modern: Relating to the present or recent times.
current: Belonging to the present time.
active (for people): Engaging or ready to engage in physically energetic pursuits.

Commonly confused with

obsolete: "Superannuated" specifically highlights age as the reason for being obsolete or retired. "Obsolete" can be due to new technology, changing trends, or age.

Word family

superannuation (noun): regular payment made into a fund by an employee toward a future pension.

Collocations

superannuated equipment
superannuated ideas
superannuated employee

Example sentences

"The superannuated machinery in the factory was a constant source of breakdowns and inefficiency." Describing old factory equipment.
"He felt somewhat superannuated after the younger generation took over the company's leadership." Referring to an older employee's feelings.
"The library still held a collection of superannuated reference books, rarely consulted." Describing old library resources.

Memory hook

"SUPER-ANNU-ATED" – think of something that's "super" old, past its "annual" usefulness. Super old, past annual use

When not to use

Avoid using "superannuated" in casual conversation. It's best reserved for formal or literary contexts, and when the reason for obsolescence or retirement is explicitly age.

Fun facts

The term "superannuation" is still widely used in countries like Australia and the UK to refer to a pension scheme or retirement fund.

Related words

obsolete, antiquated

Explore more words

superannuation, retire, geriatric, dilapidated, pension, senescence