What does redundancy mean?
Redundancy means the presence of something unnecessary, excessive, or repeated without adding useful information. The term can describe awkward writing, duplicated features, overlapping responsibilities, or the inclusion of extra equipment. In British and American employment language, redundancy also means the loss of a job because the position is no longer required, usually as part of a wider reduction in staff. In engineering and computing, redundancy has a more technical meaning: several components may be provided so that the system remains functional if one fails. This use describes duplication with a practical purpose rather than simple waste. The word can therefore carry either a negative connotation of avoidable excess or a neutral, even beneficial, connotation of backup and reliability, depending on the context.
nounThe state of being unnecessary or excessive, especially through the repetition of words, information, or features. In employment contexts, it also refers to the loss of a person's job because their position is no longer required.
- Unnecessary repetition of words, information, components, or functions.
- Excess or superfluity.
- The loss of employment because a position is no longer required.
- A state in which multiple components or systems perform the same function, especially in engineering or computing.
"The editor removed the redundant passages, making the article more concise."
"The report's redundancy made its main argument harder to follow."
"She received redundancy pay after her position was eliminated."
"The engineers introduced redundancy so that the system could continue operating if one component failed."
The plural commonly refers to multiple instances of unnecessary repetition or to multiple job losses.
"The editor eliminated several redundancies from the report."
Redundancy can describe both repeated information and a job eliminated because it is no longer needed: sometimes the same term carries two very different meanings.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of redundancy
Redundancy comes from Latin redundantia, meaning excess or superfluity, derived from redundus, meaning overflowing or excessive. The English word entered use in the 17th century in the sense of superfluity or excessive repetition. Its close relatives include abundant, abundance, and redundant, all associated with the Latin root for overflowing or being in excess.
Related word forms
How redundancy is actually used
In British English, redundancy is especially common in employment contexts, where it means job loss rather than the state of being unnecessary. In computing and engineering, the term often denotes duplicated components that provide backup rather than merely useless repetition.
Easily confused with redundancy
Redundancy is the state of being unnecessary or excessive, whereas redundant is the adjective describing something that is unnecessary or repeats something else.
Repetition is the act or fact of saying or doing something again, while redundancy specifically implies that the repetition or excess is unnecessary.