Überschüssige

Überschüssige is a German adjective meaning “excess” or “surplus,” used to describe quantities, resources, or elements that exceed what is necessary or desired. The word is derived from the noun Überschuss, which denotes a surplus. In everyday language and in technical contexts, überschüssige commonly appears before a noun, as in überschüssige Güter, überschüssige Kalorien or überschüssige Kapazität.

The term is widely used in economics, business, energy management, nutrition, and production planning to indicate an amount that should be reduced, managed, or disposed of. Examples include überschüssige Lagerbestände (inventory surplus), überschüssige Energie (excess energy), und überschüssige Kapazität (excess capacity). In nutrition, it refers to excess calories. Depending on context, überschüssig can carry neutral, slightly negative, or waste-related connotations, contrasting with Bedarf (need) or Bedarfslage.

Grammatically, überschüssige is the base inflected form of the adjective and changes with gender, number, and case. It is used attributively before a noun, as in überschüssige Güter or überschüssige Mengen. In predicative position, it can appear as überschüssig in phrases like Die Bestände sind überschüssig. The adjective form is common in technical writing and policy discussions about resource management, waste, and efficiency.