Supererogation (
Late Latin:
supererogatio "payment beyond what is due or asked", from
super "beyond" and
erogare "to pay out, expend" [from
ex "out" and
rogare "to ask"]) is the performance of more than is asked for; the action of doing more than
duty requires. In
ethics, an act is
supererogatory if it is good but not morally required to be done. It refers to an act that is more than necessary, when another course of action—involving less—would still be an acceptable action. It differs from a duty (which is an act that would be wrong not to do), and from acts that are morally neutral. Supererogation may be considered as performing above and beyond a normative course of duty to further benefits and functionality.