superannuate

English

WOTD – 2 June 2012

Etymology

Back-formation from superannuated; Latin super "over" + annus "year"

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌsuːpəɹˈænjueɪt/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

superannuate (third-person singular simple present superannuates, present participle superannuating, simple past and past participle superannuated)

1. (transitive) To retire or put out of use due to age.
   • 1658, Thomas Browne, “(please specify the page)”, in Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall, […] Together with The Garden of Cyrus, […], London: […] Hen[ry] Brome […], →OCLC:

     These crumbling relicks and long fired particles superannuate such expectations; bones, hairs, nails, and teeth of the dead, were the treasures of old sorcerers.

2. (transitive) To show to be obsolete due to age.
3. (intransitive) To retire due to age.
4. (intransitive) To become obsolete or antiquated.
5. (transitive) To give a pension to, on account of old age or other infirmity; to cause to retire from service on a pension.

Synonyms

• (retire due to age, transitive): pension, pension off, put out to pasture
• (retire due to age, intransitive): call it a day, hang up one's boots
• (become obsolete or antiquated): age, obsolesce; see also Thesaurus:to age
• (give a pension to): pension

Translations

to retire or put out of use due to age

• Bulgarian: пенсионирам (pensioniram)
• Finnish: siirtää eläkkeelle
• Spanish: jubilar (es)

to show to be obsolete due to age

• Spanish: (rare) anticuar (es)

to retire due to age

• Bulgarian: пенсионирам се (pensioniram se)
• Finnish: eläköityä (fi), jäädä eläkkeelle, siirtyä eläkkeelle
• Spanish: jubilarse (es)
• Swedish: pensionera sig, gå i pension (sv)

to become obsolete or antiquated

• Finnish: vanhentua (fi), vanheta (fi)
• Spanish: anticuarse (es)