Surfeit
noun /ˈsɜː.fɪt/ — An excess so great it produces discomfort or disgust
Definition
An excessive amount of something — specifically so much that it becomes unpleasant, that the thing you desired has now become something you cannot bear any more of.
Beyond the definition
The point where enough becomes too much. A surfeit captures something important: that desire has an endpoint, that even the most wanted things can be given in quantities that transform pleasure into something else entirely.
Origin & history
From Old French 'surfait' — past participle of 'surfaire' (to overdo) — 'sur-' (over) + 'faire' (to do). To overdo. Related to 'super' and 'fact'. The thing made past the point where making was good.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
A surfeit of affection from strangers produces a different loneliness than none at all.
He had read so many reviews of the film that by the time he saw it, a surfeit of opinion had replaced his own response.
The holiday produced a surfeit of everything good — food, company, sun — until by the last day she was ready to want again.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Surfeit” when the meaning fits your context: An excessive amount of something — specifically so much that it becomes unpleasant, that the thing you desired has now become something you cannot bear any more of.
Synonyms
excess, overabundance, glut, saturation, superfluity
Antonyms
scarcity, dearth, shortage
Related words
Questions about this word
What does "Surfeit" mean?
Surfeit is noun meaning: An excess so great it produces discomfort or disgust. An excessive amount of something — specifically so much that it becomes unpleasant, that the thing you desired has now become something you cannot bear any more of.
Where does the word "Surfeit" come from?
From Old French 'surfait' — past participle of 'surfaire' (to overdo) — 'sur-' (over) + 'faire' (to do). To overdo. Related to 'super' and 'fact'. The thing made past the point where making was good.