supererogatory
- Going beyond what duty or obligation requires; superfluous or unnecessary.
In a sentence
- Providing three detailed analyses when one was requested struck the committee as supererogatory.
- In Catholic moral theology, acts of supererogatory virtue earn merit above what is strictly required.
Usage note. Both length and meaning are challenging: it means 'beyond what is required'—do not confuse it with 'superfluous' (wasted); supererogatory acts are praiseworthy extras, not mere waste.
Where it comes from
English supererogatory — “beyond required duty” · entered English 16th c.
From Medieval Latin 'supererogatorius', derived from 'supererogare' (to spend beyond), composed of Latin 'super-' (beyond) and 'erogare' (to pay out, from 'e-' + 'rogare', to ask or propose). The term was central to Catholic theology describing works of merit beyond what God commands. It entered English in the 16th century. Source: Oxford English Dictionary, Merriam-Webster.