Etymograph

English

surplus

Surplus comes from Middle French surplus, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- ‘to fill’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pleh₁-‘to fill’root as named · steps between not traced
  2. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600surplus
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1952same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pleh₁-‘to fill’root as named · steps between not traced
  2. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600surplus
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1952same form

Earliest quotation: 1952, United States. Congress. House. Committe, Moroccan air base construction. 2 v: “This employee was engaged to direct asphalt plants and…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- ‘to fill’

people, public, full, popular, complete, fill, plenty, supply, poll, folk, plain, completion, implement, accomplish, manipulation, comply, supplement, complement, ample, amplitude, plethora, depletion, amplify, plurality, plenary, plural, replenish, replete, plenum, puri, volk, deplete, plebs, plebeian, fulsome, 74 more

Today it means

noun That which remains when use or need is satisfied, or when a limit is reached; excess; overplus; overage.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- / surplus

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