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

/ 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. 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

Superior

²

/ sjuː-; suːˈpɪərɪə /

noun

1. 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)

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

Derived Forms

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

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

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

Superior Court officials said in a news release that the building would remain closed for the day.

From Los Angeles Times

Navy, was sentenced to five years of probation and 90 days in jail for grand theft of property on Jan. 25, 1994, in San Diego County Superior Court.

From Los Angeles Times

County Superior Court, detailing multiple instances in which she said Jackson struck, grabbed or violently put his hands on her over the course of their two-year relationship.

From Los Angeles Times

On Wednesday, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Susan DeWitt denied DiGiorgio’s request to be released on bail, finding that he continued a pattern of “extraordinarily dangerous” conduct after a previous case was dismissed.

From Los Angeles Times

The civil lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court lists a series of events over six years that Guilherme Guimaraes claims violated his rights under the Fair Employment and Housing Act.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• admirable
• exceptional
• first-rate
• good
• high-caliber
• preferable
• remarkable
• superhuman