What does glut mean?
Glut is a word for having much more of something than is needed, wanted, or manageable. As a noun, it commonly refers to an excessive supply of goods or other items, as in a market glut caused by large quantities of similar products. It can also describe an overwhelming number of problems, opportunities, or other things, although the negative implication is especially strong for economic shortages, competition, and disruption. As a verb, glut means to supply or fill something excessively: companies may glut the market with cheap products, or a person may glut themselves with food. The word is useful because it captures not merely abundance but excess that has become inconvenient or damaging. Its related forms, including glutton, gluttony, and gluttonous, preserve the older association with eating and swallowing greedily, while the modern sense of glut has broadened to describe oversupply in many areas of life.
An excessive supply or abundance of something, especially goods, products, opportunities, or problems.
"The city faced a glut of empty apartments after the construction boom ended."
The word is often negative, emphasizing that the quantity is excessive or disruptive.
To supply, offer, or feed something to excess; to fill or satisfy someone excessively.
"International manufacturers glut the market with inexpensive copies of the original design."
The transitive construction 'glut something with something' is especially common in economic and commercial contexts.
Use the plural for countable instances of an excessive supply or abundance.
"Periodic gluts of fruit have forced local sellers to reduce prices."
From a Latin word associated with swallowing and eating greedily, glut went global as a word for having far too much.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does glut come from?
The English word glut comes through Old French from Latin gluttus, associated with swallowing or eating greedily. Its meanings developed from the ideas of eating or taking in too much to the broader ideas of feeding or supplying to excess. The Latin root also underlies cognates such as glutton and gluttony, which retain a connection with excessive eating.
Related word forms
How glut is actually used
In its most common modern use, glut is a noun meaning an excessive quantity, while the verb glut usually describes saturating a market or filling someone excessively. The word often conveys an undesirable abundance, though it can be used more neutrally when the excess itself is not harmful.
Easily confused with glut
A glutton is a person who eats too much, whereas a glut is usually an excessive supply of something or the act of supplying too much of it.