How Do You Spell OVERSUBSCRIBE?

Pronunciation: [ˌə͡ʊvəsəbskɹˈa͡ɪb] (IPA)

The word oversubscribe is spelled with four syllables: /ˌoʊvər·səb·skraɪb/. The prefix "over" means "too much," and "subscribe" means "to agree to receive or participate in something." So, oversubscribe means agreeing to receive or participate in more than necessary or possible. The spelling of this word follows typical English language conventions with the prefix "over" and the suffix "-scribe" combining to form the word. The IPA transcription helps clarify the stress on each syllable, making it easier to pronounce the word correctly.

OVERSUBSCRIBE Meaning and Definition

  1. Oversubscribe is a verb that refers to the act of subscribing or applying for more of something than is actually available or allowed. It typically pertains to situations where there is limited capacity or supply, causing an excess of demand or interest.

    Typically used in financial or investment contexts, oversubscribe describes the scenario when there are more people or institutions subscribing for shares, securities, or investment opportunities than can be accommodated. This can result in a situation where the demand exceeds supply, leaving some interested parties without their desired allocation.

    The term is also commonly used in relation to events or activities that require reservations or bookings, such as ticket sales for concerts or flights. When the number of reservations exceeds the available capacity, the event or service is said to be oversubscribed.

    In addition to financial and event contexts, oversubscribe can be applied to various other scenarios. For instance, a school or university may experience oversubscription when it receives more applications for admission than it has available spots. Similarly, a service provider may face oversubscription if the number of clients or users exceeds the capacity of their infrastructure or resources.

    In summary, oversubscribe refers to the act of applying, subscribing, or booking more than is actually available or permitted, leading to excess demand or interest in a limited capacity scenario.

Common Misspellings for OVERSUBSCRIBE

Etymology of OVERSUBSCRIBE

The word "oversubscribe" is derived from the combination of two terms: "over" and "subscribe".

1. "Over" - This element comes from the Middle English word "over", which means "too much" or "beyond". It can be traced back to the Old English word "ofer", meaning "over" or "above".

2. "Subscribe" - It originates from the Latin word "subscribere", which is a combination of "sub" (meaning "under" or "below") and "scribere" (meaning "to write"). In its original sense, "subscribe" referred to writing one's name at the end of a document, such as in signing a contract or a written agreement.

When these two terms are combined, "oversubscribe" essentially means "to subscribe or allocate more than what is available or necessary".

Conjugate verb Oversubscribe

CONDITIONAL

I would oversubscribe
you would oversubscribe
he/she/it would oversubscribe
we would oversubscribe
they would oversubscribe

CONDITIONAL CONTINUOUS

I would be oversubscribing
you would be oversubscribing
he/she/it would be oversubscribing
we would be oversubscribing
they would be oversubscribing

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

I would have oversubscribe
you would have oversubscribe
he/she/it would have oversubscribe
we would have oversubscribe
they would have oversubscribe

CONDITIONAL PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I would have been oversubscribing
you would have been oversubscribing
he/she/it would have been oversubscribing
we would have been oversubscribing
they would have been oversubscribing

FUTURE

I will oversubscribe
you will oversubscribe
he/she/it will oversubscribe
we will oversubscribe
they will oversubscribe

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be oversubscribing
you will be oversubscribing
he/she/it will be oversubscribing
we will be oversubscribing
they will be oversubscribing

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have oversubscribed
you will have oversubscribed
he/she/it will have oversubscribed
we will have oversubscribed
they will have oversubscribed

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I will have been oversubscribing
you will have been oversubscribing
he/she/it will have been oversubscribing
we will have been oversubscribing
they will have been oversubscribing

IMPERATIVE

you oversubscribe
we let´s oversubscribe

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

to oversubscribe

PAST

I oversubscribed
you oversubscribed
he/she/it oversubscribed
we oversubscribed
they oversubscribed

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was oversubscribing
you were oversubscribing
he/she/it was oversubscribing
we were oversubscribing
they were oversubscribing

PAST PARTICIPLE

oversubscribed

PAST PERFECT

I had oversubscribed
you had oversubscribed
he/she/it had oversubscribed
we had oversubscribed
they had oversubscribed

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been oversubscribing
you had been oversubscribing
he/she/it had been oversubscribing
we had been oversubscribing
they had been oversubscribing

PRESENT

I oversubscribe
you oversubscribe
he/she/it oversubscribes
we oversubscribe
they oversubscribe

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am oversubscribing
you are oversubscribing
he/she/it is oversubscribing
we are oversubscribing
they are oversubscribing

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

oversubscribing

PRESENT PERFECT

I have oversubscribed
you have oversubscribed
he/she/it has oversubscribed
we have oversubscribed
they have oversubscribed

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been oversubscribing
you have been oversubscribing
he/she/it has been oversubscribing
we have been oversubscribing
they have been oversubscribing
I would have oversubscribed
we would have oversubscribed
you would have oversubscribed
he/she/it would have oversubscribed
they would have oversubscribed