Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Excess \Ex*cess"\, n. [OE. exces, excess, ecstasy, L. excessus a
   going out, loss of self-possession, fr. excedere, excessum,
   to go out, go beyond: cf. F. exc[`e]s. See {Exceed}.]
   1. The state of surpassing or going beyond limits; the being
      of a measure beyond sufficiency, necessity, or duty; that
      which exceeds what is usual or prover; immoderateness;
      superfluity; superabundance; extravagance; as, an excess
      of provisions or of light.

            To gild refined gold, to paint the lily, To throw a
            perfume on the violet, . . . Is wasteful and
            ridiculous excess.                    --Shak.

            That kills me with excess of grief, this with excess
            of joy.                               --Walsh.

   2. An undue indulgence of the appetite; transgression of
      proper moderation in natural gratifications; intemperance;
      dissipation.

            Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess. --Eph. v.
                                                  18.

            Thy desire . . . leads to no excess That reaches
            blame.                                --Milton.

   3. The degree or amount by which one thing or number exceeds
      another; remainder; as, the difference between two numbers
      is the excess of one over the other.

   {Spherical excess} (Geom.), the amount by which the sum of
      the three angles of a spherical triangle exceeds two right
      angles. The spherical excess is proportional to the area
      of the triangle.

Source : WordNet®

excess
     n 1: a quantity much larger than is needed [syn: {surplus}, {surplusage},
           {nimiety}]
     2: immoderation as a consequence of going beyond sufficient or
        permitted limits [syn: {excessiveness}, {inordinateness}]
     3: the state of being more than full [syn: {surfeit}, {overabundance}]
     4: excessive indulgence; "the child was spoiled by
        overindulgence" [syn: {overindulgence}]

excess
     adj : more than is needed, desired, or required; "trying to lose
           excess weight"; "found some extra change lying on the
           dresser"; "yet another book on heraldry might be
           thought redundant"; "skills made redundant by
           technological advance"; "sleeping in the spare room";
           "supernumerary ornamentation"; "it was supererogatory
           of her to gloat"; "delete superfluous (or unnecessary)
           words"; "extra ribs as well as other supernumerary
           internal parts"; "surplus cheese distributed to the
           needy" [syn: {extra}, {redundant}, {spare}, {supererogatory},
            {superfluous}, {supernumerary}, {surplus}]