Instances of behavior or consumption that go beyond normal or acceptable limits; overindulgence or extreme actions.
From Latin excessus, from excedere meaning 'to go out' or 'depart from.' The prefix ex- means 'out of' and cedere means 'to go,' literally describing going beyond boundaries.
The word excess inherently contains its own warning - the Latin roots literally mean 'to go out beyond,' suggesting that crossing certain boundaries leads you away from where you should be. It's fascinating that ancient Romans recognized this concept so clearly that they built the warning into the word itself.
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