superhuman en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Medieval Latin superhūmānus. By surface analysis, super- + human.
Meanings
-
Beyond what is possible for a human being.
No doubt, Jane thought, the rider, in his almost superhuman power of foresight, saw behind the horizon the dark, lengthening shadows that were soon to crowd and gloom over him and her and little Fay.
1912 January, Zane Grey, chapter 15, in Riders of the Purple Sage […], New York, N.Y.; London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, →OCLC:An extraordinary character at the head of a leading power in Europe will be the immediate instrumentality in organizing the coming Roman Empire; but extraordinary occasions always bring out such. The great Napoleon, and the Imperial Confederation which he organized, afford an illustration. But the head of the Revived Roman Empire will be, in many respects, a more extraordinary character than the great Napoleon. The coming character will be an unscrupulous, impious, daring person, endowed with satanic intelligence and skill, and wielding a species of superhuman power over the minds of men. He is styled by the inspired Apostle, "that man of sin, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped."
1879, J. Berry, “IMPENDING CRISIS.”, in The Roman Empire Revived. An Outline of Coming Events, and an Harmonious Elucidation of the Prophecies Having Reference Thereto: Also the Rapture of the True Church, with a New and Satisfactory Explanation of the Symbolic Number 666. (Religion), Cincinnati, Ohio: Wrightson & Co., →OCLC, page 50:It is extremely painful to realize that Joe never felt that he received adequate support from his lesbian/gay extended family. Lesson 1: We must not place super-human expectations upon our leaders while mounting them on unreachable pedestals, but rather attend to the very personal emotional needs of their private selves.
1989 February 5, Craig G. Harris, “Your Life's All In Your Dreams And Your Dreams Are All In Your Life”, in Gay Community News, volume 16, number 29, page 11:How often, during her young life, had she looked upon the face of the dead!—it was now almost more familiar than the living. Again she marked the still repose, the calm, cold hue, the superhuman beauty, the look which is not of this world, here strongly contrasted by the troubled countenance of Lord Avonleigh.
1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XIX, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 158:I could have flown at him, shame upon me! The woman had confounded and almost destroyed my moral sense, as she was bound to confound all who looked upon her superhuman loveliness.
1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more superhuman | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most superhuman | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Coordinates
human · transhuman · posthuman
Deriveds
superhumanly · superhumanize · superhumanness
Relateds
supernatural · inhuman · nonhuman · unhuman · superbeing
Synonyms
Translations (37)
hi महामानव (beyond what is possible for a human being) · de übermenschlich (beyond what is possible for a human being) · ja 人間離れ (beyond what is possible for a human being) · sw -a binadamu wa ajabu (beyond what is possible for a human being) · ka ზეადამიანური (beyond what is possible for a human being) · sv övermänsklig (beyond what is possible for a human being) · nl bovenmenselijk (beyond what is possible for a human being) · ru сверхчелове́ческий (beyond what is possible for a human being) · hu emberfeletti (beyond what is possible for a human being) · bn অতিমানবীয় (beyond what is possible for a human being) · sq mbinjerëzor (beyond what is possible for a human being) · gl sobrehumano (beyond what is possible for a human being) · la divinus (beyond what is possible for a human being) · pl nadludzki (beyond what is possible for a human being) · cmn 超人的 (beyond what is possible for a human being) · es sobrehumano (beyond what is possible for a human being) · it sovrumana (beyond what is possible for a human being) · th เหนือมนุษย์ (beyond what is possible for a human being) · cs nadlidský (beyond what is possible for a human being) · gd os-daonna (beyond what is possible for a human being) · be надчалавечы (beyond what is possible for a human being) · pt super-humano (beyond what is possible for a human being) · ja 神ってる (beyond what is possible for a human being) · pt sobre-humano (beyond what is possible for a human being) · el υπεράνθρωπος (beyond what is possible for a human being) · it superomista (beyond what is possible for a human being) · ro suprauman (beyond what is possible for a human being) · it sovrumano (beyond what is possible for a human being) · ja 超人の (beyond what is possible for a human being) · da overmenneskelig (beyond what is possible for a human being) · eo superhoma (beyond what is possible for a human being) · uk надлю́дськи́й (beyond what is possible for a human being) · is ofurmannlegur (beyond what is possible for a human being) · fi yli-inhimillinen (beyond what is possible for a human being) · ja 超人的な (beyond what is possible for a human being) · grc δαιμόνιος (beyond what is possible for a human being) · mk натчовечки (beyond what is possible for a human being)