overapply

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *úp

Proto-Indo-European *-er

Proto-Indo-European *upér

Proto-Germanic *uber

Old English ofer-

Middle English over-

English over-

Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd

Proto-Italic *ad

Proto-Italic *ad-

Latin ad-

Proto-Indo-European *pel-

Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ-der.

Latin plicō

Latin applicō

Old French applierbor.

Middle English aplien

English apply

English overapply

From over- + apply.

Verb

overapply (third-person singular simple present overapplies, present participle overapplying, simple past and past participle overapplied)

1. (transitive) To apply to excess.
   • 1999, Steven Pinker, Words and Rules: The Ingredients of Language:

     German speakers, like English speakers, are prone to overapplying the weak suffix (-t) to irregular verbs, resulting in errors.