[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

supernumerary \su`pernu"merary\, n.; pl. supernumeraries.
   1. a person or thing beyond the number stated.
      1913 webster

   2. a person or thing beyond what is necessary or usual;
      especially, a person employed not for regular service, but
      only to fill the place of another in case of need;
      specifically, in theaters, a person who is not a regular
      actor, but is employed to appear in a stage spectacle.
      1913 webster
see also:
supernumeraries 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

supernumerary \su`pernu"merary\, a. l. supernumerarius: cf.
   of. supernum'eraire, f. surnum'eraire. see super-, and
   numerary, number.
   1. exceeding the number stated or prescribed; as, a
      supernumerary officer in a regiment.
      1913 webster

   2. exceeding a necessary, usual, or required number or
      quality; superfluous; as, supernumerary addresses;
      supernumerary expense. --addison.
      1913 webster
see also:
super- numerary number 

[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0

supernumerary
     adj : more than is needed, desired, or required; "trying to lose
           excess weight"; "found some extra change lying on the
           dresser"; "yet another book on heraldry might be
           thought redundant"; "skills made redundant by
           technological advance"; "sleeping in the spare room";
           "supernumerary ornamentation"; "it was supererogatory
           of her to gloat"; "delete superfluous or unnecessary
           words"; "extra ribs as well as other supernumerary
           internal parts"; "surplus cheese distributed to the
           needy" syn: excess, extra, redundant, spare, supererogatory,
            superfluous, surplus
     n : a minor actor in crowd scenes syn: spear carrier, extra
see also:
excess extra redundant spare supererogatory superfluous 
surplus spear carrier 

Supernumerary >> S Words
Supernumerary, definition of term: Supernumerary
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