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inferiorly

[in-feer-ee-er]

Origin

adjective

lower in station, rank, degree, or grade (often followed by to): a rank inferior to colonel.

lower in place or position; closer to the bottom or base: descending into the inferior regions of the earth.

of comparatively low grade; poor in quality; substandard: an inferior product.

less important, valuable, or worthy: B+ bonds are inferior to AAA bonds.

acting or performing in a way that is comparatively poor or mediocre: an inferior observer of human nature.

EXPAND

Botany.

situated below some other organ.

(of a calyx) inserted below the ovary.

(of an ovary) having a superior calyx.

Anatomy. (of an organ or part)

lower in place or position; situated beneath another.

toward the feet. Compare superior (def. 9).

Astronomy. lying below the horizon: the inferior part of a meridian.

Printing. written or printed low on a line of text, as the “2” in H₂O; subscript. Compare superior (def. 10).

COLLAPSE

noun

10.

a person inferior to another or others, as in rank or merit.

11.

Also called subscript. Printing. a letter, number, or symbol written or printed low on a line of text. Compare superior (def. 12).

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Inferiorly is always a great word to know.

So is doohickey. Does it mean:

a fool or simpleton; ninny.

a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.

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Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin, equivalent to infer(us) lower (compare under) + -ior comparative suffix

Related forms

in·fe·ri·or·i·ty

[in-feer-ee-awr-i-tee, -or-] , noun

in·fe·ri·or·ly, adverb

qua·si-in·fe·ri·or, adjective

sub·in·fe·ri·or, adjective

Synonyms
3. mediocre, low-quality, second-rate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To inferiorly

Collins

World English Dictionary

inferior (ɪnˈfɪərɪə)

—*adj*
1.	lower in value or quality
2.	lower in rank, position, or status; subordinate
3.	not of the best; mediocre; commonplace
4.	lower in position; situated beneath
5.	(of a plant ovary) enclosed by and fused with the receptacle so that it is situated below the other floral parts
6.	astronomy
	a. orbiting or occurring between the sun and the earth: an inferior planet; inferior conjunction
	b. lying below the horizon
7.	printing (of a character) printed at the foot of an ordinary character, as the 2 in H₂O

—n
8.	an inferior person
9.	printing an inferior character

[C15: from Latin: lower, from inferus low]

inferiority

—n

in'feriorly

—*adv*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

inferior

early 15c., from L. inferior "lower," comp. form of inferus (adj.) "that is below or beneath," from infra "below." Noun meaning "a person inferior to another in rank, etc.," is from c.1500. Inferiority complex first attested 1922.

EXPAND

"The surrender of life is nothing to sinking down into acknowledgment of inferiority." [John C. Calhoun]

COLLAPSE

American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

inferior in·fe·ri·or (ĭn-fēr'ē-ər)
adj.

Low or lower in order, degree, or rank.
Low or lower in quality, value, or estimation.
Second-rate; poor.
Situated below or directed downward.
In human anatomy, situated nearer the soles in relation to a reference point.

in·fe'ri·or'i·ty (-ôr'ĭ-tē) n.

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