supernumerary

Meanings

Noun

• A person who works in a group, association, or public office without forming part of the regular staff (the numerary).
• An extra or walk-on, often non-speaking, in a film or play; a spear carrier.
• Something which is beyond the prescribed or standard amount or number.
• An animal which has not formed a pair bond and is therefore single.
• A married man or woman who is a secular member of Opus Dei, a Roman Catholic religious institution.

Adjective

• Greater in number than.
• Beyond the prescribed or standard amount or number; excess, extra.
• Beyond what is necessary; redundant.

Origin

• From Late Latin supernumerarius ("extra soldier added to a legion; supernumerary"), from super (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eǵʰs ("out of") + *uperi, from *upo) + numerum (accusative singular of numerus, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *nem- ("to distribute; to give, take")) + -ārius. The word is analysable as super- + numeral.