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overcount

overcount

1 6.3
A number too high because something was counted more than once
  • noun
  • /ˈoʊvərˌkaʊnt/
translation icon : sobreconteo
  • The accountant found an overcount in the inventory, which inflated the company's earnings figures.

Examples

  • Forms from the ACE survey are matched to forms from the census, and the difference in the results indicates the size of the undercount or overcount.

    Academic text (2010)
  • Second, our Paulite count is too low at 1%, and it was probably 2-3% (under the same accountability) that would compensate for an overcount of the Libertarians (it is rather difficult to keep them apart).

    Blog text (20)
  • The official report highlighted an overcount in the total number of ballots cast during the election.

  • Due to an overcount in the recent survey, the estimated population growth was mistakenly reported as higher than it actually is.

Antonyms

5 5.8

A count that is less than the real number of people or things

How Inflated

overcount
1 6.3
overestimate
1 4.9
count
780 1.0

Surface Forms

overcount singular
overcounts plural

Morphology

overcount = overcount (transparent) = over + count

The noun is a straightforward conversion from the verb 'overcount', and the verb itself is transparently built from 'over-' plus 'count'.

Etymology

Overcount comes from two parts: the prefix over- meaning 'too much' (as in overeat or overdo) and the verb count meaning 'to count'. So an overcount is a case where something has been counted too many times and the total is too high.