Superfluously

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a way that is characterized by an excess which is unnecessary, producing a surplus that is beyond what is deemed essential or beneficial
2. Carried out in an overly abundant manner, resulting in elements that are superfluous and do not fulfill a crucial role
3. Executed in a manner that exceeds what is required, leading to an abundance that does not contribute to any essential purpose or need

Etymology: "Superfluously" is "superfluous" with the adverb ending "-ly" added, so its history is mostly the history of its two parts. The "-ly" ending goes back to Old English "-līċe", a suffix that was attached to adjectives to turn them into adverbs; it is the same stem that gave us "like" in its older sense of "in the manner of". Over the Middle English period "-līċe" wore down to "-ly", which is why the ending now looks so unlike the word it came from. The base word "superfluous" was borrowed from Latin "superfluus", built from "super", meaning "over" or "beyond", and "fluere", meaning "to flow". The image is of something overflowing its container, which is why "superfluous" still carries the sense of more than is needed. Adding "-ly" simply describes doing something in that overflowing way: going beyond what is required.

Synonyms: excessively, redundantly, needlessly, unnecessarily, overly

Antonyms: sufficiently, adequately, essentially, minimally, scarcely