Word of the Day. June 25: 'Supererogatory'

Word of the Day: SUPEREROGATORY
Pronunciation: UK/ˌsuː.pər.erˈɒɡ.ə.tər.i/ or US/ˌsuː.pɚ.ɪˈrɑː.ɡə.tɔːr.i/

Meaning:

'Supererogatory' means going beyond what is required, expected, or obligatory—doing more than duty demands.

Examples for daily usage:

• You already finished your shift, but staying to help was supererogatory
• Cleaning the entire room when only your desk was assigned was supererogatory.

Origin and history:

The word 'supererogatory' comes from 'superērogātōrius', dating back to the late 16th century. Built from the prefix super- (meaning "above") and erogare (meaning "to pay out"). Literally translates to "a payment in addition". It was originally used in religious contexts to describe good works and prayers that exceeded God's requirements.

Cultural significance and modern usage:

Historically, the adjective was widely used in Roman Catholic theology to describe good works that exceed God's requirements (e.g., voluntary poverty or martyrdom). Treasury of Merit: This religious concept established a spiritual "fund" of accumulated surplus good deeds by saints that the Church could theoretically draw upon to help sinners. This specific belief was highly controversial and became a major catalyst for the Protestant Reformation.

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Interesting facts:

• Many heroic acts are considered supererogatory because society praises them but doesn’t expect everyone to do them.
• The noun form of supererogatory is supererogation.
• Despite sounding complex, its core idea is simple: doing more good than required.
• Many ethical debates ask whether true supererogatory acts exist—or whether every moral action should become a duty.

Examples from literature:

1. It is supererogatory to assume that Shakespeare had Chapman’s phrases in his mind when alluding to superstitions which were universally acknowledged. - A Life of William Shakespeare by Sir Sidney Lee
2. A prolonged and vicious croak from the end of the street argued that Berry's patience was wearing thin, but to have asked the girl to make haste would have been supererogatory. - Jonah and Co. by Dornford Yates
3. He could converse with a bench in such terms of respectful camaraderie, yet with such suggestiveness of an old guard in reserve, that his innocence became a supererogatory merit. - Such Is Life by Joseph Furphy
4. They passed into the ancient shipyard which lay beyond and which was now a mere vague, grass-grown approach to the waterside, bestrewn with a few remnants of supererogatory timber. - The Bostonians, Vol. II (of II) by Henry James

Synonyms:

• Extra
• Excess
• Surplus
• Spare
• Superfluous
• Additional

Antonyms:

• Insufficient
• Inadequate
• Short
• Deficient
• Scanty

Read more word of the day here.