overindulgence
UK[ˌəʊvərɪnˈdʌldʒəns]US[ˌoʊvərɪnˈdʌldʒəns]
n
The act of allowing yourself or someone else to have too much of something enjoyable, especially food or drink.
n
Excessive gratification of desires or feelings.
Morpheme Breakdown
over
indulge
ence
over
excessive
indulge
yield to desire
ence
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'overindulgence' is a layered English construction built upon a Latin core. The foundation is the Latin verb indulgēre, meaning "to be complacent towards" or "to yield to," which entered English as 'indulge.' The Old English prefix over-, signifying "beyond normal limits," was later attached to create the verb 'overindulge,' meaning to yield to desires excessively. Finally, the Latin-derived noun suffix -ence, denoting a state or condition, was added to form 'overindulgence,' literally describing "the state of yielding excessively." Thus, the term's logic moves from the ancient concept of leniency (indulgēre) to the modern abstract notion of a harmful lack of restraint, framed by the Germanic idea of excess (over-).
Analysis
Structure: over (excessive) + indulge (yield to desire) + ence (noun suffix)
over: From Old English ofer, a preposition/adverb meaning "above, beyond, excessively." In this word, it functions as a prefix indicating excess.
indulge: From Latin indulgēre meaning "to be kind to, to yield to, to grant." In this word, it functions as the core root conveying the sense of yielding to a desire.
ence: From Latin -entia, a suffix forming nouns of state or quality. In this word, it functions as a noun-forming suffix.
Examples
His doctor warned that his overindulgence in rich foods was affecting his health.
The film criticizes the overindulgence and moral decay of the wealthy elite.
Parents must find a balance between kindness and preventing overindulgence in their children.