Meaning & Definition of word "Redundancy"

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    Redundancy

    /rɪˈdʌn.dən.si/

    noun:

    • 1. The state of being not or no longer needed or useful; surplus or excess.
      • Example: The company decided to terminate several employees due to redundancy in the workforce.
    • 2. An unneeded repetition of words or phrases in writing or speech.
      • Example: The essay was marked down for redundancy, as the same point was made multiple times in different ways.
    • 3. The duplication of critical components or functions of a system to increase reliability.
      • Example: The engineers included redundancy in the design of the system to ensure it would operate smoothly even if one part failed.

    Etymology

    From Latin 'redundantia' meaning 'overflowing; abundance'.

    Common Phrases and Expressions

    job redundancy:

    The situation where a position is no longer needed and the employee is dismissed.

    redundant clause:

    A clause in a sentence that's unnecessary and can be removed without losing the meaning.

    safety redundancy:

    The inclusion of extra components in a system to ensure reliability.

    Related Words

    superfluous:

    Exceeding what is sufficient or necessary; extra.

    excess:

    An amount of something that is more than necessary.

    duplication:

    The act of copying or repeating something.

    Slang Meanings of redundancy

    Meaning: Overkill

    Example Sentence: Using a multi-million dollar generator for a small coffee shop is total overkill.

    Meaning: More than you need

    Example Sentence: He bought a whole box of pizza for one person – that's more than you need!