surfeit

American  

[sur-fit] / ˈsɜr fɪt /

noun

1. excess; an excessive amount.

   a surfeit of speechmaking.

   Synonyms:

   superfluity, superabundance

   Antonyms:

   lack

2. excess or overindulgence in eating or drinking.

3. an uncomfortably full or crapulous feeling due to excessive eating or drinking.

4. general disgust caused by excess or satiety.

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verb (used with object)

1. to bring to a state of surfeit by excess of food or drink.

   Synonyms:

   gorge, stuff

2. to supply with anything to excess or satiety; satiate.

   Synonyms:

   fill, gorge, stuff

verb (used without object)

1. to eat or drink to excess.

2. to suffer from the effects of overindulgence in eating or drinking.

3. to indulge to excess in anything.

surfeit British  

/ ˈsɜːfɪt /

noun

1. (usually foll by of) an excessive or immoderate amount

2. overindulgence, esp in eating or drinking

3. disgust, nausea, etc, caused by such overindulgence

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verb

1. (tr) to supply or feed excessively; satiate

2. archaic (intr) to eat, drink, or be supplied to excess

3. obsolete (intr) to feel uncomfortable as a consequence of overindulgence

Other Word Forms

• surfeiter noun
• unsurfeited adjective
• unsurfeiting adjective

Etymology

Origin of surfeit

1250–1300; (noun) Middle English sorfete, surfait < Middle French surfait, surfet (noun use of past participle of surfaire to overdo), equivalent to sur- sur- ¹ + fait < Latin factus, past participle of facere to do ( fact ); (v.) sorfeten, derivative of the noun

Example Sentences

Any study of wars, poverty and other manmade crises shows us that humanity still suffers from a lack of empathy, not a surfeit.

From Salon

The path for spawning salmon also will be eased by the surfeit of water.

From Los Angeles Times

That surfeit of water fed the typically trickling river into a torrent — overtopping and weakening the 75-year old earthen levee.

From Los Angeles Times

“Boston Strangler” also suffers from an oppressively drab style, with a surfeit of dim lighting, muted colors and arty compositions.

From Los Angeles Times

Toward the end of a festival I always get a little sentimental — chalk it up to lack of sleep or a surfeit of stories vying for space in my addled brain.

From New York Times

Related Words

• glut
• plethora
• profusion