Supererogation
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 An act of doing more than is required. countable, uncountable
"And ſithence the very thunder-lightning of your admirable eloquence is ſufficiently available to ſtrike them with a lame palſie of tongue (if they be not already ſmitten with a ſenceleſſe apoplexy in head, which may eaſely enſue ſuch contagious catharres and reumes, as I am privy ſome of them have been grievouſly diſſeaſed withall), miſſe not, but hitt them ſuerly home, as they deſerve with Supererogation."
- 2 an effort above and beyond the call of duty wordnet
- 3 An action that is neither morally forbidden nor required, but has moral value. countable, uncountable
"For now let us look at the supererogation which would be contrasted with mutual aid. […] [T]here would be two fundamental types of supererogation. Supererogation 1 focuses on the same sorts of situations and the same sorts of aid covered by mutual aid, but removes the limit on the cost to the giver: […] Supererogation number 2 focuses not on situations where basic needs are threatened, but on well-being, […]"
Example
More examples"And ſithence the very thunder-lightning of your admirable eloquence is ſufficiently available to ſtrike them with a lame palſie of tongue (if they be not already ſmitten with a ſenceleſſe apoplexy in head, which may eaſely enſue ſuch contagious catharres and reumes, as I am privy ſome of them have been grievouſly diſſeaſed withall), miſſe not, but hitt them ſuerly home, as they deſerve with Supererogation."
Etymology
From Late Latin superērogātiō (“payment in addition”), from superērogāre (“to pay in addition”), from super (“in addition to”) + ērogāre (“to pay, pay out, expend, disburse”), equivalent to supererogate + -ion.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.