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Friday December 26, 2003

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superannuated \soo-pur-AN-yoo-ay-tid\ , adjective:
1. Discharged or disqualified on account of old age; retired from service, especially with a pension.
2. Old; no longer in use; no longer valid; outmoded.

Saddest of crackpot theories, said Dr. Bederson, "come from superannuated, formerly fine scientists who late in their careers get bored doing bread-and-butter stuff."
-- James Glanz, "Geniuses, Crackpots and a Grand Unified Theory.", New York Times, January 4, 2000

Jack affects a magicianly air as he limps around on a shepherd's staff and masks his essential sadism by couching his cruel remarks in the hushed oh-wow voice of a superannuated hippie.
-- Stephen Holden, "The Wife.", New York Times, August 16, 1996

Superannuated derives from Medieval Latin superannuatus, "too old," from Latin super, "above, over" + annus, "year."

Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation for superannuated

 

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