Dictionary

superstructure en · NOUN

Pronunciation

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Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úp Proto-Indo-European *-er Proto-Indo-European *upér Proto-Italic *super Latin super Latin super-lbor. English super- English structure English superstructure From super- + structure.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) Any structure built above the top full deck (FM 55-501).
2. (countable, uncountable) Any material structure or edifice built on something else; that which is raised on a foundation or basis.
   • The Wards are open-topped, with skyscrapers rising from the superstructure. Towers are sealed against vacuum, as the breathable atmosphere envelope is only maintained to a height of about seven meters. The atmosphere is contained by the centrifugal force of rotation and a "membrane" of dense, colorless sulphur hexafluoride gas, held in place by carefully managed mass effect fields. 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel Station: Wards Codex entry:
3. (countable, figuratively, sometimes, uncountable) All that part of a building above the basement.
4. (UK, countable, qualifier:railroad, uncountable) The sleepers and fastenings, in distinction from the roadbed.
5. (Marxism, countable, uncountable) The social sphere of ideology which includes religion, art, politics, law and all traditional values.
   • The superstructure evolves more slowly and is more resistant to change than the economic infrastructure, especially in the modern industrial age of advanced capitalism. 1995, Richard Appignanesi, Chris Garratt, Postmodernism for Beginners, Icon Books, →ISBN, page 9:

Forms

Antonyms

base · infrastructure · substructure

Deriveds

superstructural

Translations (45)

pt superestrutura (nautical: structure above deck) · ru надстро́йка (nautical: structure above deck) · bn উপরিকাঠামো (the social sphere of ideology) · az üstqurum (the social sphere of ideology) · nn overbygning (nautical: structure above deck) · sk nadstavba (the social sphere of ideology) · pl nadbudowa (nautical: structure above deck) · cs nadstavba (the social sphere of ideology) · eu gainegitura (the social sphere of ideology) · nb overbygning (nautical: structure above deck) · hu felépítmény (the social sphere of ideology) · pt superestrutura (the social sphere of ideology) · et pealisehitus (the social sphere of ideology) · hy վերնաշենք (the social sphere of ideology) · tr üstyapı (the social sphere of ideology) · id suprastruktur (the social sphere of ideology) · vi kiến trúc thượng tầng (the social sphere of ideology) · cy goruwchadeilad (nautical: structure above deck) · pl nadbudówka (nautical: structure above deck) · cmn 上層建築 /上层建筑 (the social sphere of ideology) · fr superstructure (the social sphere of ideology) · ko 상부구조 (the social sphere of ideology) · fi ylärakenne (the social sphere of ideology) · tl superestruktura (the social sphere of ideology) · hu felépítmény (nautical: structure above deck) · ru надстро́йка (the social sphere of ideology) · pl nadbudowa (the social sphere of ideology) · de Aufbauten (nautical: structure above deck) · ja 上部構造 (the social sphere of ideology) · es superestructura (nautical: structure above deck) · de Überbau (nautical: structure above deck) · sv överbyggnad (the social sphere of ideology) · ca superestructura (the social sphere of ideology) · mk надградба (the social sphere of ideology) · es superestructura (the social sphere of ideology) · ca superestructura (nautical: structure above deck) · de Überbau (the social sphere of ideology) · bg надстро́йка (nautical: structure above deck) · nn overbygg (nautical: structure above deck) · fi ylärakenne (nautical: structure above deck) · la superstructura (the social sphere of ideology) · mk надградба (nautical: structure above deck) · nb overbygg (nautical: structure above deck) · pa ਉਸਾਰ (the social sphere of ideology) · fa روبنا (the social sphere of ideology)