Added 8 October 2026
surpass
/səˈpɑːs/ verb
In Latin: superō, praecellō Wiktionary
verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about surpass at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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To go beyond or exceed (something) in an adjudicative or literal sense.
The former problem student surpassed his instructor's expectations and scored top marks on his examination.
Origin
From Middle French surpasser (“to pass beyond”). By surface analysis, sur- + pass. Displaced native Old English oferstīgan (literally “to climb over”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)