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Supernumerary vs Additional - What's the difference?

supernumerary | additional |

As nouns the difference between supernumerary and additional

is that supernumerary is a civil designation for somebody who works in a group, association or public office, without forming part of the regular staff; those distinguished from numerary (for example, supernumerary judges are those who help the regular judges when there is a surplus amount of work) while additional is something added.

As adjectives the difference between supernumerary and additional

is that supernumerary is extra; beyond the standard or prescribed amount or number while additional is supplemental or added to something.

supernumerary

English

Noun

(supernumeraries)
  • A civil designation for somebody who works in a group, association or public office, without forming part of the regular staff; those distinguished from numerary. (For example, supernumerary judges are those who help the regular judges when there is a surplus amount of work.)
  • An extra or walk-on in a film or play; spear-carrier.
  • * 1992', Sarah Anne Sloane, '''''Supernumeraries at bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) nests (page 50)
  • Adjective

    (-)
  • Extra; beyond the standard or prescribed amount or number.
  • * 1948': Aldous Huxley, ''Ape and Essence'', page 74: '''1949''' “Chatto & Windus” edition]; [http://books.google.co.uk/books?lr=&ei=-kZSSb6rBIjcygTtre2LAg&id=mYorAAAAYAAJ&dq=%22Ape+and+Essence%22+supernumerary&q=supernumerary&pgis=1#search_anchor ' 1972 “Harper & Row” edition
  • Over close-ups of little faces with hare lips, little trunks with stumps instead of legs and arms, little hands with clusters of supernumerary fingers, little bodies adorned with a double row of nipples, we hear the voice of the Narrator.
  • Greater in number than.
  • Beyond what is necessary.
  • additional

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Supplemental or added to something.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=September-October, author= Michael Sivak
  • , magazine=(American Scientist), title= Will AC Put a Chill on the Global Energy Supply? , passage=Nevertheless, it is clear that the global energy demand for air-conditioning will grow substantially as nations become more affluent,

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Something added.
  • (Francis Bacon)