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Superfluous vs Overflow - What's the difference?

superfluous | overflow |

As an adjective superfluous

is in excess of what is required or sufficient.

As a noun overflow is

the spillage resultant from overflow; excess.

As a verb overflow is

to flow over the brim of (a container).

superfluous

English

Adjective

(-)
  • In excess of what is required or sufficient.
  • With a full rain suit, carrying an umbrella may be superfluous .

    Synonyms

    * excessive, extraneous, extra, pleonastic, supernumerary, surplus, unnecessary, extravagant

    Coordinate terms

    * gratuitous

    overflow

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The spillage resultant from overflow; excess.
  • Outlet for escape of excess material.
  • (computing) The situation where a value exceeds the available numeric range.
  • Derived terms

    * overflow hole

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To flow over the brim of (a container).
  • The river overflowed the levee.
  • To cover with a liquid, literally or figuratively.
  • The flash flood overflowed most of the parkland and some homes.
  • * 1851 , Herman Melville, Moby-Dick
  • So when they were working that evening at the pumps, there was on this head no small gamesomeness slily going on among them, as they stood with their feet continually overflowed by the rippling clear water
  • To cause an overflow. (rfex)
  • To flow over the edge of a container.
  • The waters overflowed into the Ninth Ward.
  • To exceed limits or capacity.
  • The hospital ER was overflowing with flu cases.
  • # (computing, ambitransitive) To exceed the available numeric range.
  • Calculating 255+1 will overflow an eight-bit byte.
  • To be superabundant; to abound.
  • (Rogers)

    Derived terms

    * buffer overflow * underflow English heteronyms ----