Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for superior

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 by to ):

    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. Compare inferior ( def 7 ).
  10. Printing. written or printed high on a line of text, as the “2” in a 2 b; superscript. Compare inferior ( def 9 ).


noun

  1. one superior to another.
  2. Also called superscript. Printing. a superior letter, number, or symbol. Compare inferior ( def 11 ).
  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

/ sjuː-; suːˈpɪərɪə /

noun

  1. Lake Superior
    Lake Superior 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)


superior

2

/ suːˈpɪərɪə; suːˌpɪərɪˈɒrɪtɪ /

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. often postpositivefoll byto 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

Discover More

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

Discover More

Derived Forms

  • suˈperioress, noun:feminine
  • superiority, noun
  • suˈperiorly, adverb

Discover More

Other Words From

  • su·peri·or·ly adverb
  • quasi-su·peri·or adjective
  • unsu·peri·or adjective
  • unsu·peri·or·ly adverb

Discover More

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)

Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of superior1

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

Discover More

Example Sentences

It’s one of the best ice picks available for all-around use thanks to its 5-½-inch blade that runs through the length of the handle for superior control and strength.

Lithium-metal batteries were far superior to lead-acid batteries, but they also had inherent drawbacks the Exxon team had never resolved, including their habit of sparking fires in the lab.

Compared to humans, Methanians had superior hearing, vocal range, and sight, including x-ray vision.

While Big Tech collects consumer data to support their advertising revenue, banks can win the hearts of consumers by collecting data to drive personalization and superior UXs.

I’m also interested in product and design-centric teams using superior UX to democratize something that previously was limited to a privileged few.

On Dec. 30, she filed a similar lawsuit in D.C. Superior Court.

And of those who transform themselves into masters and believe themselves superior to others, rather than at their service.

Hitchcock sends the script--unread--to Thom Mount and his superior, Ned Tanen.

The essence of nearly every Disney film is that women need saving, preferably by a man from a superior social and economic class.

Virginia Woolf loved Wuthering Heights and considered Emily Brontë superior to her sister Charlotte.

The Mexicans, far superior in numbers, received every moment accessions to their strength.

In Paris, Joachim soon found that the royal road to success lay in denouncing loudly all superior officers of lack of patriotism.

His superior talents and untiring industry were under the direction of philanthropic and Christian impulses.

Not to smoke at all in the presence of a superior, is held the most delicate homage which can be paid him.

With little hesitation she did so, in view of the immensely superior force displayed.

Advertisement

Word of the Day

inveterate

[in-vet-er-it ]

Meaning and examples

Start each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!

By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


superintendentsuperior conjunction