Off Topic: Is the use of supererogatory supererogatory?

[Paddy]

On May 13, 12:13 am, a... at mac.com (Alex Martelli) wrote:

> As somebody else alredy pointed out, the lambda is supererogatory (to
> say the least).

What a wonderful new word!
I did not know what supererogatory meant, and hoped it had nothing to
do with Eros :-)
Answers.com gave me a meaning synonymous with superfluous, which
I think is what was meant here, but Chambers gave a wonderful
definition where they say it is from the RC Church practice of doing
more
devotions than are necessary  so they can be 'banked' for distribution
to others (I suspect, that in the past it may have been for a fee or
a
favour).

Supererogatory, my word of the day.

- Paddy

P.S; http://www.chambersharrap.co.uk/chambers/features/chref/chref.py/main?query=supererogatory+&title=21st