superior en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /sʉːˈpɪə.ɹiː.ə/ (New-Zealand)
- /suːˈpɪə.ɹi.ə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /sʊˈpɪɹ.i.ɚ/ (General-American)
- /sə-/ (New-Zealand)
- (US) audio
- /sə-/ (General-American)
Etymology
From Middle English, borrowed from Old French superiour, from Latin superior (“higher, upper”).
Meanings
-
Higher in rank, status, or quality.
Rebecca had always thought shorts were far superior to pants, as they didn't constantly make her legs itch.
There were many wooden chairs for the bulk of his visitors, and two wicker armchairs with red cloth cushions for superior people. From the packing-cases had emerged some Indian clubs,[…], and all these articles[…] made a scattered and untidy decoration that Mrs. Clough assiduously dusted and greatly cherished.
1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:Additionally, reliability proved to be superior to NBL's design, with an average of 120,000 miles run during 1959.
2022 January 12, David Clough, “From Germany with love: a Warship perspective”, in RAIL, number 948, page 46:
-
Higher in rank, status, or quality. ▸ Of high standard or quality.
She always treated (her husband) as a boy, which he was, and as a fool, which he was not, thinking herself so immeasurably superior to him that she neglected opportunity after opportunity of establishing her rule.
1905, E. M. Forster, Where Angels Fear to Tread, chapter 3
- Higher in rank, status, or quality. ▸ Greater in size or power.
-
(qualifier:superior to) Higher in rank, status, or quality. ▸ Beyond the power or influence of; too great or firm to be subdued or affected by.
There is not in earth a spectacle more worthy […]than a brave man superior to his sufferings.
1711 December 11 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “FRIDAY, December 1, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 237; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume III, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC:
- Higher in rank, status, or quality. ▸ Greater or better than average.
- Courageously or serenely indifferent (as to something painful or disheartening).
-
Printed in superscript.
a superior figure or letter
-
Located above or out; higher in position.
the superior jaw; the superior part of an image
- Located above or out; higher in position. ▸ Located above or higher, a direction that in humans corresponds to cephalad.
- Located above or out; higher in position. ▸ (of a calyx) Above the ovary; said of parts of the flower which, although normally below the ovary, adhere to it, and so appear to originate from its upper part.
- Located above or out; higher in position. ▸ (of an ovary) Above and free from the other floral organs.
- Located above or out; higher in position. ▸ Belonging to the part of an axillary flower which is toward the main stem.
- Located above or out; higher in position. ▸ (of the radicle) Pointing toward the apex of the fruit.
-
More comprehensive.
A genus is superior to a species.
- Affecting or assuming an air of superiority.
- (of a planet in the Solar System) Having a wider orbit around the Sun; typically with respect to the Earth.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| superiour | UK, alternative, obsolete | lexicographic | |
| more superior | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most superior | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Coordinates
Deriveds
superior planet · superior mesenteric artery syndrome · superior colliculus · superior thyroid artery · superior tarsal · unsuperior · limit superior · highly superior autobiographical memory · superior laryngeal nerve · nonsuperior · superior court · superior vena cava · general superior · superior carotid triangle · superioress · superior olivary complex · superior general · posterosuperior · superior auricular muscle · superior landlord · fultura superior · inferosuperior · superior rectus · anterior superior iliac spine · posterior superior alveolar artery · superior hypophyseal artery · superior good · superior sagittal sinus · superiorly · anterior superior alveolar artery · superior tenant · superiority · Mother Superior · superior cerebellar artery · superior cervical ganglion · superior laryngeal artery · supero- · superior autobiographical memory · superiorization · superior tarsal muscle · mother superior · superiorship · superior mesenteric artery · anterosuperior · mediosuperior · superiormost · superior alveolar nerve · Peover Superior · superior mesenteric vein · laterosuperior · superior nasal concha · superior orbital fissure · father superior · superior oblique · superior lease · superior letter · temporosuperior · superiorness · superior oblique muscle · Lake Superior · superior highly composite number · Superia · superior pharyngeal constrictor · superior petrosal sinus
Hypernyms
Relateds
Homo superior · levator labii superioris alaeque nasi · Superior · auricularis superior · levator labii superioris · respondeat superior · levator palpebrae superioris
Synonyms
crowning · paramount · foremost · utmost · vaulting · superior · posterior · major · supreme · greater · preeminent · extraordinary · supercilious · ascending · higher · ferior
Translations (88)
sv förstklassig (extraordinary) · ja 貴い (higher in rank or quality) · lt ypatingasis (extraordinary) · pt superior (located above) · sa उत्तर (located above) · uk ви́щий (higher in rank or quality) · ja 上級の (higher in rank or quality) · el ανώτερος (higher in rank or quality) · da overlegen (higher in rank or quality) · ota یوقاری (higher in rank or quality) · it sovraordinato (higher in rank or quality) · ru ве́рхний (located above) · hi श्रेष्ठ (higher in rank or quality) · cs vyšší (higher in rank or quality) · de übergeordnet (higher in rank or quality) · es superior (located above) · ro mai sus (located above) · az üstün (higher in rank or quality) · bg висш (higher in rank or quality) · hi उत्कृष्ट (extraordinary) · de ausgezeichnet (extraordinary) · de höher (higher in rank or quality) · sv överlägsen (higher in rank or quality) · ru вы́сший (located above) · ka უმაღლესი (higher in rank or quality) · tr üstün (higher in rank or quality) · got 𐌰𐌿𐌷𐌿𐌼𐌰 (higher in rank or quality) · ro mai bun (higher in rank or quality) · ja 偉い (higher in rank or quality) · he עִלַּאי (higher in rank or quality) · ro superior (located above) · ar مُتَفَوِّق (higher in rank or quality) · ar يعلو (located above) · ga ardchéimiúil (higher in rank or quality) · uk ви́щий (located above) · it superiore (located above) · ar أَجْدَر (higher in rank or quality) · kea nhaku (extraordinary) · sm sili (higher in rank or quality) · ota یوقاری (located above) · sq e epërme (higher in rank or quality) · hi सर्वोच्च (located above) · fr supérieur (located above) · es superior (higher in rank or quality) · da førsteklasses (extraordinary) · gl superior (higher in rank or quality) · de höherstehend (higher in rank or quality) · lt viršutinis (located above) · cmn 優越 /优越 (higher in rank or quality) · da udmærket (extraordinary) · ko 우수한 (higher in rank or quality) · hy վերին (located above) · ota اوست (higher in rank or quality) · fi yläpuolinen (located above) · ru превосхо́дный (extraordinary) · oc superior (higher in rank or quality) · nn overlegen (higher in rank or quality) · de überlegen (higher in rank or quality) · lt aukštesnio laipsnio, vyresnysis (higher in rank or quality) · fr supérieur (higher in rank or quality) · sa श्रेयस् (higher in rank or quality) · bg старши (higher in rank or quality) · ca superior (located above) · uk найлі́пший (extraordinary) · bg превъзхождащ (extraordinary) · pt superior (higher in rank or quality) · ru вы́сший (higher in rank or quality) · eo supera (higher in rank or quality) · it superiore (higher in rank or quality) · fi erinomainen (extraordinary) · ro superior (higher in rank or quality) · ota اوست (located above) · ja 高貴な (higher in rank or quality) · ca superior (higher in rank or quality) · fi parempi (higher in rank or quality) · sa उत्तर (higher in rank or quality) · nl superieur (higher in rank or quality) · ru вышестоя́щий (higher in rank or quality) · ru ста́рший (higher in rank or quality) · bg разположен над (located above) · nb overlegen (higher in rank or quality) · ca superior (extraordinary) · uk ста́рший (higher in rank or quality) · fi ylempi (higher in rank or quality) · sv utmärkt (extraordinary) · sq i epërm (higher in rank or quality) · ug ئۈستۈن (higher in rank or quality) · hu kiváló (higher in rank or quality)