surfeit
過剰な量
解説 Definition
何かが過度に豊富である状態、または必要以上に多い量。満足度を超えた過剰さを指す。
A surfeit is an amount that is too large, more than what is needed or wanted. It is often used in formal English to talk about an excessive supply of something, such as information, food, or choices. It can also suggest that too much of something causes discomfort or loss of interest.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
surfeit は「多い」ではなく、「多すぎてもう要らない」という過剰を覚える。plenty や abundance が豊かさ寄りなのに対し、surfeit は行きすぎて重たさ・食傷感が出る語。sur- は surpass, surcharge などの「超えて」の仲間として見ると形が残りやすい。a surfeit of information / options / luxury のように、豊富さがむしろ負担になる場面で出やすい。単なる excess より文語的で、質より“過度さ”に意識が向く。
Notice the prefix `sur-`, the same idea as in `surcharge` or `surpass`: it suggests going beyond. So `surfeit` is not just a lot, but too much in a heavy, uncomfortable way. Think of phrases like `a surfeit of information` or `a surfeit of luxury`, where abundance starts to feel like a burden.
例文
There is a surfeit of options in the modern marketplace.
現代の市場には選択肢が過剰にある。
After the holiday feast, there was a surfeit of rich food on the table.
祝日の宴の後、テーブルにはこってりした食べ物が過剰に残っていた。
A surfeit of bad news depressed everyone.
悪いニュースの過剰さはみんなを落ち込ませた。
surfeit の類義語・関連語
surfeit の語源・成り立ち Etymology
古フランス語 surfeit にさかのぼり、sur-「超えて」+ fait「なされたこと」（ラテン語 facere「作る・行う」）から成ります。もとは「やりすぎ」の意で、食べ過ぎから一般の「過剰な量」へ広がりました。関連語に fact、manufacture があります。
Surfeit comes from Old French surfeit, from sur- meaning over and a form related to doing or making, from Latin facere. It originally meant excess or overdoing something. It was often used for overeating at first, then widened to mean an excessive amount in general. Related English words from the same Latin root include fact and manufacture.
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