overflod

Overflod, written with diacritics as överflöd in Swedish, is a noun meaning abundance or surplus of resources, goods, or phenomena. It derives from över ("over") and flod ("flood" or "flow"), originally conveying overflow, but in modern usage it denotes more than is required or desired. The term is largely neutral, though context can convey positive or negative connotations.

In economics and everyday language, överflod describes a situation in which production, wealth, or resources exceed consumption or need. It can signal prosperity, but may also raise concerns about waste, environmental impact, or unequal distribution. In ecology and environmental science, it can refer to an abundance of nutrients or biomass; more precise terms such as överskott (surplus) or övergödning (eutrophication) are used for specific phenomena.

The phrase also appears in cultural and rhetorical contexts to express a plenitude of possibilities or options, as in överflod av val. The opposite concept is brist, meaning scarcity or shortage. Related terms include riklighet (prosperity or plenty) and överskott in certain contexts; antonyms include brist and knapphet. In summary, överflod denotes quantity beyond necessity, with nuance determined by context and domain.