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Other

supernumerary

Syllabification: (su·per·nu·mer·ar·y)
Definition of supernumerary

adjective

  • present in excess of the normal or requisite number, in particular.
  • (of a person) not belonging to a regular staff but engaged for extra work.
  • not wanted or needed; redundant:books were obviously supernumerary, and he began jettisoning them
  • Botany & Zoology denoting a structure or organ occurring in addition to the normal ones:a pair of supernumerary teats
  • (of an actor) appearing on stage but not speaking.

noun (plural supernumeraries)

  • a supernumerary person or thing.

Origin:

early 17th century: from late Latin supernumerarius '(soldier) added to a legion after it is complete', from Latin super numerum 'beyond the number'

supernumerary in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of supernumerary in the British & World English dictionary
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