surfeit
/ˈsɜː.fɪt/ IELTSAcademic
noun
An amount of something that is too much. It often suggests a richer or more than enough supply, and sometimes a feeling of being fed up with it.
- A surfeit of options made the choice harder.
- He felt a surfeit of sugar after the party.
verb
To give or have too much of something. It is more often used in writing than in everyday speech.
- The market was surfeited with cheap imports.
- They surfeited themselves on holiday treats.
Adinary Nuance
Surfeit is stronger and more formal than “excess” or “overflow.” It often suggests not just too much, but too much of something pleasant, rich, or plentiful. Writers choose it when they want a literary or slightly serious tone. It is less common in everyday speech than “too much” or “overload.”
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- sự quá nhiều
- Spanish
- exceso
- Chinese
- 过量
- Japanese
- 過剰
- Korean
- 과잉
Etymology
Surfeit came into English from Old French in the Middle English period. It goes back to Latin roots meaning “to do too much.”
Common phrases
a surfeit of choicea surfeit of richessurfeit of information
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is surfeit formal or informal?
- It is fairly formal and more common in writing than in speech.
- What is the difference between surfeit and excess?
- Surfeit often feels more literary and suggests too much of something pleasant or abundant.
- Can I use surfeit in everyday conversation?
- You can, but it may sound stiff. Most people say “too much” or “an overload.”
- Is surfeit a noun or a verb?
- It is both. The noun is more common than the verb.