supererogation
/ˌs(j)uːpəɹɛɹəˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/
supererogation means an act of doing more than is required. It carries an Arena rating of 1632, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, supererogation ranks #420 of 17,126 for Most Satisfying to Say, #974 of 17,163 for Funniest Words, #1,635 of 17,151 for The Improbable, #3,062 of 17,143 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words.
supererogation is pronounced /ˌs(j)uːpəɹɛɹəˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/.
Why “supererogation” is a great word
Supererogation is the performance of an action beyond what is demanded by duty or obligation, often carrying distinct moral worth. From Late Latin superērogātiō ("payment in addition"), from superērogāre ("to pay in addition"), from Latin super ("over, above, in addition to") + ērogāre ("to pay out, expend"), it is first attested in English c. 1500 in theological contexts. Unlike "obligation," which binds absolutely and without choice, or "superfluity," which suggests wasteful excess, supererogation is the deliberate, costly surplus of the good. It is the surgeon who operates without charge on a stranger's child, the soldier who volunteers for the mission from which he might not return, and the forgiveness extended where no apology was ever offered—a testament to the human capacity for a generosity that the universe does not demand.
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.
noun
- An act of doing more than is required.
- An action that is neither morally forbidden nor required, but has moral value.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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