WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Ex*cess"
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [OE. exces, excess, ecstasy, L. excessus a going out, loss of self-possession, fr. excedere, excessum, to go out, go beyond: cf. F. exc?s. See Exceed.]
Definition : 1. The state of surpassing or going beyond limits; the being of a measure beyond sufficiency, necessity, or duty; that which exceeds what is usual or prover; immoderateness; superfluity; superabundance; extravagance; as, an excess of provisions or of light. To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, To throw a perfume on the violet, . . . Is wasteful and ridiculous excess. Shak. That kills me with excess of grief, this with excess of joy. Walsh.

2. An undue indulgence of the appetite; transgression of proper moderation in natural gratifications; intemperance; dissipation. Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess. Eph. v. 18. Thy desire . . . leads to no excess That reaches blame. Milton.

3. The degree or amount by which one thing or number exceeds another; remainder; as, the difference between two numbers is the excess of one over the other. Spherical excess (Geom.), the amount by which the sum of the three angles of a spherical triangle exceeds two right angles. The spherical excess is proportional to the area of the triangle.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913