overdetermine

O1V4E1R1D2E1T1E1R1M3I1N1E1

verb

To give too many constraints, so that no solution is available.

Opposite
underdetermine
OriginEnglish determine ← Middle English over- ← Old English ofer- →
Scrabble 19
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Meanings

verboverdetermine (third-person singular simple present overdetermines, present participle overdetermining, simple past and past participle overdetermined)

present singular third person overdetermines · participle present overdetermining · participle past overdetermined · past overdetermined

  1. To give too many constraints, so that no solution is available.
  2. To determine in such a way that any of the determinant's components would be sufficient on its own to produce the consequence.

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
underdetermine

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*úp
  2. Proto-Indo-European*upér
  3. Proto-Germanic*uber
  4. Old Englishofer-
  5. Middle Englishover-
  6. Englishover-
  7. Englishdetermine
  8. Englishoverdetermine

From over- + determine.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

overdetermine. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overdetermine

MLA

“overdetermine.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overdetermine. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “overdetermine,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/overdetermine.

Source: overdetermine on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.