redundancy
UK[rɪˈdʌndənsi]US[rɪˈdʌndənsi]
n
The state of being not or no longer needed or useful.
n
The inclusion of extra components which are not strictly necessary to functioning, in case of failure in other components.
n
The repetition of information or inclusion of extra information in a message to prevent errors.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
und
ancy
re
again
und
wave, flow
ancy
state or quality
Etymology
The word 'redundancy' originates from the Latin verb redundare, meaning "to overflow, to be in excess," which itself is composed of re- (expressing intensive force) and undare ("to rise in waves," from unda, "a wave"). The core imagery is of a wave flowing back or overflowing its bounds, conveying a sense of surplus and excess. This literal sense of overflowing was metaphorically extended in English to describe superfluous repetition in language and, later, the state of being surplus to requirements in employment and engineering. Thus, the modern abstract meanings of unnecessary repetition, excess capacity, or being superfluous all flow logically from this ancient concept of overflowing like a wave.
Analysis
Structure: re (again) + und (wave, flow) + ancy (state or quality)
- re: Latin prefix meaning "again, back".
- und: From Latin unda meaning "a wave".
- ancy: Latin-derived noun suffix (from -antia) indicating a state, quality, or condition.
Examples
The new software update eliminated data redundancy in the storage system.
Several factory workers faced redundancy due to the company's automation drive.
The engineer explained how built-in redundancy ensures the aircraft's systems remain operational.