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Webster 1913 Edition

Superior

Su-pe′ri-or

,
Adj.
[L., compar. of
superus
being above, fr.
super
above, over: cf. F.
supérieur
. See
Super-
, and cf.
Supreme
.]
1.
More elevated in place or position; higher; upper;
as, the
superior
limb of the sun; the
superior
part of an image
.
2.
Higher in rank or office; more exalted in dignity;
as, a
superior
officer; a
superior
degree of nobility
.
3.
Higher or greater in excellence; surpassing others in the greatness, or value of any quality; greater in quality or degree;
as, a man of
superior
merit; or of
superior
bravery
.
4.
Beyond the power or influence of; too great or firm to be subdued or affected by; – with to.
There is not in earth a spectacle more worthy than a great man
superior
to his sufferings.
Spectator.
5.
More comprehensive; as a term in classification;
as, a genus is
superior
to a species
.
6.
(Bot.)
(a)
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; also of an ovary when the other floral organs are plainly below it in position, and free from it.
(b)
Belonging to the part of an axillary flower which is toward the main stem; posterior.
(c)
Pointing toward the apex of the fruit; ascending; – said of the radicle.
Superior conjunction
,
Superior planets
,
etc. See
Conjunction
,
Planet
, etc.
–
Superior figure
,
Superior letter
(Print.)
,
a figure or letter printed above the line, as a reference to a note or an index of a power, etc;
as, in
x
2
+ y
n
, 2 is a
superior figure
, n a
superior letter
. Cf.
Inferior figure
, under
Inferior
.

Su-pe′ri-or

,
Noun.
1.
One who is above, or surpasses, another in rank, station, office, age, ability, or merit; one who surpasses in what is desirable;
as, Addison has no
superior
as a writer of pure English
.
2.
(Eccl.)
The head of a monastery, convent, abbey, or the like.

Webster 1828 Edition

Superior

SUPE'RIOR

,
Adj.
[Sp.L. from super, above.]
1.
Higher; upper; more elevated in place; as the superior limb of the sun; the superior part of an image.
2.
Higher in rank or office; more exalted in dignity; as a superior officer; a superior degree of nobility.
3.
Higher or greater in excellence; surpassing others in the greatness, goodness or value of any quality; as a man of superior merit, of superior bravery, of superior talents or understanding, of superior accomplishments.
4.
Being beyond the power or influence of; too great or firm to be subdued or affected by; as a man superior to revenge.
There is not on earth a spectacle more worthy than a great man superior to his sufferings.
5.
In botany, a superior flower has the receptacle of the flower above the germ; a superior germ is included within the corol.

SUPE'RIOR

,
Noun.
One who is more advanced in age. Old persons or elders are the superiors of the young.
1.
One who is more elevated in rank or office.
2.
One who surpasses others in dignity, excellence or qualities of any kind. As a writer of pure English, Addison has no superior.
3.
The chief of a monastery, convent or abbey.

Definition 2024

Superior

Superior

See also: superior

English

Proper noun

Superior

  1. A town in Arizona, US.
  2. A town in Colorado, US.
  3. A city/village in Iowa, US.
  4. A town in Montana, US.
  5. A city/town in Nebraska, US.
  6. A city in Wisconsin, US.

superior

superior

See also: Superior

English

Alternative forms

Adjective

superior ‎(not comparable)

  1. Higher in quality.
    Rebecca had always thought shorts were far superior to pants, as they didn't constantly make her legs itch.‎
  2. Higher in rank.
    • 1918, W. B. Maxwell, chapter 12, in The Mirror and the Lamp:
      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.
  3. More comprehensive, as a term in classification.
    A genus is superior to a species.
  4. Located above.
    the superior jaw; the superior part of an image
    1. (botany) 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; also of an ovary when the other floral organs are plainly below it in position, and free from it.
    2. (botany) Belonging to the part of an axillary flower which is toward the main stem; posterior.
    3. (botany) Pointing toward the apex of the fruit; ascending; said of the radicle.
    4. (typography) Printed in superscript.
      a superior figure or letter
  5. Greater or better than average; extraordinary.
  6. Beyond the power or influence of; too great or firm to be subdued or affected by; with to.
    • Spectator
      There is not in earth a spectacle more worthy than a great man superior to his sufferings.

Usage notes

  • Superior and inferior are generally followed by to; than is sometimes used mistakenly.

Antonyms

Coordinate terms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

superior ‎(plural superiors)

  1. A person of higher rank or quality.
  2. The senior person in a monastic community.

Related terms

Translations

Catalan

Adjective

superior m, f ‎(masculine and feminine plural superiors)

  1. superior, higher, high

Noun

superior m, f ‎(plural superiors)

  1. superior

Latin

Adjective

superior ‎(comparative of superus)

  1. higher
  2. superior
  3. previous, preceding

Inflection

Third declension, comparative variant

Number Singular Plural
Case / Gender Masc./Fem. Neuter Masc./Fem. Neuter
nominative superior superius superiōrēs superiōra
genitive superiōris superiōrum
dative superiōrī superiōribus
accusative superiōrem superius superiōrēs superiōra
ablative superiōre superiōribus
vocative superior superius superiōrēs superiōra

Descendants

References

  • superior in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • superior in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • Félix Gaffiot (1934), “superior”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
  • Meissner, Carl; Auden, Henry William (1894) Latin Phrase-Book, London: Macmillan and Co.
    • heights, high ground: loca edita, superiora
    • last year: superiore, priore anno
    • premises; consequences: prima (superiora); consequentia (Fin. 4. 19. 54)
    • in his former consulship: superiore consulatu
    • to gain a weak case by clever pleading: causam inferiorem dicendo reddere superiorem (λόγον κρείττω ποιειν) (Brut. 8. 30)
    • to occupy the high ground: occupare loca superiora
    • to have the advantage in cavalry: equitatu superiorem esse
    • to come off victorious: superiorem (opp. inferiorem), victorem (proelio, pugna) discedere

Portuguese

Etymology

From Latin superior.

Pronunciation

  • (Portugal) IPA(key): /su.pɨˈɾjoɾ/
  • Hyphenation: su‧pe‧ri‧or

Adjective

superior m, f ‎(plural superiores, comparable)

  1. upper, higher
  2. better
  3. superior

Antonyms

Noun

superior m (plural superiores, feminine superiora, feminine plural superioras)

  1. boss
  2. head of a monastery

Romanian

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˌsu.pe.riˈor/

Adjective

superior m, n ‎(feminine singular superioară, masculine plural superiori, feminine and neuter plural superioare)

  1. superior

Declension

Antonyms

Spanish

Adjective

superior m, f ‎(plural superiores)

  1. upper, higher
  2. better
  3. superior

Noun

superior m ‎(plural superiores, feminine superiora)

  1. boss

Synonyms

Etymology

From Old French superior, from Latin superior ‎(“higher, being more above”), from superus ‎(“being above”), from super ‎(“above, over”).

Pronunciation

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