Standard Lemma guide

overpayment

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: OW1 V ER0 P EY2 M AH0 N T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Payment exceeding the amount actually due.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The employer sued to recover overpayment of wages.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the act of paying too much

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: payment, defrayal, defrayment

3

noun

Meaning 3

a payment larger than needed or expected

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: payment

History

Etymology

From over- + payment.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: surpaye — payment exceeding the amount actually due
  • French: trop-perçu — payment exceeding the amount actually due
  • German: Überzahlung — payment exceeding the amount actually due
  • German: Überbezahlung — payment exceeding the amount actually due
  • Hungarian: túlfizetés — payment exceeding the amount actually due
  • Polish: nadpłata — payment exceeding the amount actually due