superior

¹

[suh-peer-ee-er, soo-]

adjective

1. higher in station, rank, degree, importance, etc..

   a superior officer.

2. above the average in excellence, merit, intelligence, etc..

   superior math students.

   Synonyms: matchless, first-rate, unrivaled, distinguished, excellent

3. of higher grade or quality.

   superior merchandise.

4. greater in quantity or amount.

   superior numbers.

5. showing a consciousness or feeling of being better than or above others.

   superior airs.

   Synonyms: snobbish, arrogant, haughty

6. not yielding or susceptible (usually followed byto ).

   to be superior to temptation.

7. higher in place or position.

   We moved our camp to superior ground.

8. Botany.

   1. situated above some other organ.

   2. (of a calyx) seeming to originate from the top of the ovary.

   3. (of an ovary) free from the calyx.

9. Anatomy.,  (of an organ or part)

   1. higher in place or position; situated above another.

   2. toward the head.

10. Printing.,  written or printed high on a line of text, as the “2” in a 2 b; superscript.

noun

1. one superior to another.

2. Also called superscript. Printing.,  a superior letter, number, or symbol.

3. Ecclesiastical.,  the head of a monastery, convent, or the like.

Superior

²

[suh-peer-ee-er, soo-]

noun

1. Lake Superior, a lake in the north central United States and southern Canada: the northernmost of the Great Lakes; the largest body of fresh water in the world. 350 miles (564 kilometers) long; 31,820 square miles (82,415 square kilometers); greatest depth, 1,290 feet (393 meters); 602 feet (183 meters) above sea level.

2. a port in northwestern Wisconsin, on Lake Superior.

superior

¹

/ suːˌpɪərɪˈɒrɪtɪ, suːˈpɪərɪə /

adjective

1. greater in quality, quantity, etc

2. of high or extraordinary worth, merit, etc

3. higher in rank or status

   a superior tribunal

4. displaying a conscious sense of being above or better than others; supercilious

5. not susceptible (to) or influenced (by)

6. placed higher up; situated further from the base

7. astronomy

   1. (of a planet) having an orbit further from the sun than the orbit of the earth

   2. (of a conjunction) occurring when the sun lies between the earth and an inferior planet

8. (of a plant ovary) situated above the calyx and other floral parts

9. anatomy (of one part in relation to another) situated above or higher

10. printing (of a character) written or printed above the line; superscript

noun

1. a person or thing of greater rank or quality

2. printing a character set in a superior position

3. (often capital) the head of a community in a religious order

Superior

²

/ sjuː-, suːˈpɪərɪə /

noun

1. a lake in the N central US and S Canada: one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world and westernmost of the Great Lakes. Area: 82 362 sq km (31 800 sq miles)

Usage

Superior should not be used with than: he is a better (not a superior ) poet than his brother; his poetry is superior to (not superior than ) his brother's

Other Word Forms

• superiorly adverb
• quasi-superior adjective
• unsuperior adjective
• unsuperiorly adverb
• superiority noun
• superioress noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of superior¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (adjective), from Latin, equivalent to super(us) “situated above” (adjective derivative of super; super- ) + -ior, comparative suffix; -er ⁴

Origin of superior²

First recorded in 1780–85; translation of French Lac Supérieur “Upper Lake” (i.e., the lake above Lake Huron), or “Higher Lake” (in elevation above sea level)

Word History and Origins

Origin of superior¹

C14: from Latin, from superus placed above, from super above

Example Sentences

Marina from Tula says her mother, a school teacher, was instructed to download the messenger but claimed to her superiors that she didn't have a smartphone.

From BBC

In the end, what distinguishes “Mare of Easttown” from the typical murder mystery and other prestige shows – besides Winslet’s superior performance – is the way it swims with and through grief.

From Salon

"The independence of the Federal Reserve is critical to delivering superior long-run outcomes for the economy," he said.

From BBC

In their first bout, Ali controlled the fight with superior speed and accuracy, but Bugner went the distance, earning praise for his resilience.

From BBC

He started making up ground on the backside but had too much work to do against a superior Fierceness.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• admirable 
• exceptional 
• first-rate 
• good 
• high-caliber www.thesaurus.com
• preferable 
• remarkable 
• superhuman