redundant

English

Etymology

From Latin redundāns, present participle of redundō (“to overflow, redound”), from red- (“again, back”) + undō (“to surge, flood”), from unda (“a wave”).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US, Canada) IPA^(key): /ɹɪˈdʌn.dənt/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ɹɪˈdan.dənt/

  • Audio (AU)

    (file)

Adjective

redundant (comparative more redundant, superlative most redundant)

1. Superfluous; exceeding what is necessary, no longer needed.
   • 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “A Further Account of the Academy. ”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. , volume II, London: Benj Motte, , →OCLC, part III (A Voyage to Laputa, Balnibarbi, Glubbdubdribb, Luggnagg, and Japan), page 82:

     It is allowed, that Senates and great Councils are often troubled with redundant, ebullient, and other peccant Humours, with many Diſeaſes of the Head and more of the Heart; [...]

   • 1822, John Barclay, chapter I, in An Inquiry Into the Opinions, Ancient and Modern, Concerning Life and Organization‎, Edinburgh, London: Bell & Bradfute; Waugh & Innes; G. & W. B. Whittaker, section I, page 1:

     In the living state, the body is observed to receive aliment; to assimilate a part; to evacuate what is redundant or useless; [...]

   • 2020 December 16, “Network News: "Robust case" for Fawley branch reopening”, in Rail, page 14:

     A key driver has been the approval of a new housing and employment development called Fawley Waterside, with 1,500 homes planned on the site of a redundant power station on the edge of Southampton Water.

   • 2021 December 15, Robin Leleux, “Awards honour the best restoration projects: The Network Rail Community Award: Saltash and Stow”, in RAIL, number 946, page 58:

     Two entrants shared this award for their work on two quite different stations, but with the same purpose of bringing a redundant station building back into use for the benefit of the community, with the added result of conserving an historic building.

2. (of words, writing, etc) Repetitive or needlessly wordy.
3. (chiefly British, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia) Dismissed from employment because no longer needed.

   Four employees were made redundant.

4. Duplicating or able to duplicate the function of another component of a system, providing backup in the event the other component fails.
   • 2013, Tom Denton, Automobile Electrical and Electronic Systems, page 142:

     The two lines are mainly used for redundant and therefore fault-tolerant message transmission, but they can also transmit different messages.

Synonyms

• (dismissed from employment): surplus to requirements

Antonyms

• non-redundant

Derived terms

Related terms

• redound
• redundance
• redundancy

Translations

Further reading

• “redundant”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “redundant”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “redundant”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin redundantem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central)
• IPA^(key): (Balearic)
• IPA^(key): (Valencian)

Adjective

redundant m or f (masculine and feminine plural redundants)

1. redundant

Derived terms

• redundantment

Related terms

• redundància
• redundar

German

Etymology

Ultimately borrowed from Latin redundans.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʁedʊnˈdant/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ant

• Audio (Austria)

  (file)

Adjective

redundant (strong nominative masculine singular redundanter, comparative redundanter, superlative am redundantesten)

1. redundant

   Synonym: überzählig

Declension

Related terms

• Redundanz

Further reading

• “redundant” in Duden online
• “redundant” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Latin

Verb

redundant

1. third-person plural present active indicative of redundō

Romanian

Alternative forms

• redondant

Etymology

Borrowed from English redundant and French redondant, from Latin redundans.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /re.dunˈdant/

Adjective

redundant m or n (feminine singular redundantă, masculine plural redundanți, feminine and neuter plural redundante)

1. redundant

Declension

Related terms

• redondanță