super

¹

[ soo-per ]

noun

1. Informal.
   1. a superintendent, especially of an apartment house.
   2. supermarket.
   3. supernumerary.
   4. supervisor.
2. an article of a superior quality, grade, size, etc.
3. (in beekeeping) the portion of a hive in which honey is stored.
4. Printing. supercalendered paper.
5. Television. an additional image superimposed on the original video image:

   A super of the guest's name is included under the picture when the guest is introduced.

adjective

1. of the highest degree, power, etc.
2. of an extreme or excessive degree.
3. Informal. very good; first-rate; excellent.
4. (of measurement) superficial.
5. superfine.

adverb

1. Slang. very; extremely or excessively:

   super classy; a super large portion of food.

super-

²

1. a prefix occurring originally in loanwords from Latin, with the basic meaning “above, beyond.” Words formed with super- have the following general senses: “to place or be placed above or over” ( superimpose; supersede ), “a thing placed over or added to another” ( superscript; superstructure; supertax ), “situated over” ( superficial; superlunary ) and, more figuratively, “an individual, thing, or property that exceeds customary norms or levels” ( superalloy; superconductivity; superman; superstar ), “an individual or thing larger, more powerful, or with wider application than others of its kind” ( supercomputer; superhighway; superpower; supertanker ), “exceeding the norms or limits of a given class” ( superhuman; superplastic ), “having the specified property to a great or excessive degree” ( supercritical; superfine; supersensitive ), “to subject to (a physical process) to an extreme degree or in an unusual way” ( supercharge; supercool; supersaturate ), “a category that embraces a number of lesser items of the specified kind” ( superfamily; supergalaxy ), “a chemical compound with a higher proportion than usual of a given constituent” ( superphosphate ).

super.

³

abbreviation for

1. superintendent.
2. superior.

super-

¹

prefix

1. placed above or over

   superscript

2. of greater size, extent, quality, etc

   supermarket

3. surpassing others; outstanding

   superstar

4. beyond a standard or norm; exceeding or exceedingly

   supersonic

5. indicating that a chemical compound contains a specified element in a higher proportion than usual

   superoxide

super

²

/ ˈsuːpə /

adjective

1. informal.
   outstanding; exceptionally fine

noun

1. petrol with a high octane rating
2. informal.
   a superintendent or supervisor
3. informal.
   superannuation benefits
4. informal.
   superphosphate

interjection

1. informal.
   an enthusiastic expression of approval or assent

Word History and Origins

Origin of super¹

First recorded in 1620–30; 1920–25 super fordef 8; independent use of super- (construed as an adjective or adverb), or shortening of words prefixed with it

Origin of super²

< Latin super (preposition and v. prefix) above, beyond, in addition, to an especially high degree; akin to Greek hypér ( hyper- ), Sanskrit upari; over

Word History and Origins

Origin of super¹

from Latin super above

Origin of super²

from Latin: above

Example Sentences

With slick pop songs like Super Shy, OMG and Supernatural, NewJeans were the eighth biggest-selling act in the world last year, and were nominated for best group at this year's MTV Awards.

From BBC

During Trump’s first term, McMahon served as the administrator of the Small Business Administration from 2017-2019 before resigning to aid with Trump’s re-election campaign, serving as the chairwoman of the super PAC America First Action.

From Salon

If McMahon aligns with the America First Policy Institute and related super PAC, “it seems that ending DEI and accreditation reform are on top of her list, along with promoting vocational education,” said John Aubrey Douglass, a senior research fellow and research professor of public policy and higher education at the UC Berkeley Center for Studies in Higher Education.

From Los Angeles Times

The nearly 400-foot tall structure — which features the Starship spacecraft stacked on top of a Super Heavy booster — lifted off flawlessly at 2 p.m.

From Los Angeles Times

Reusing the Super Heavy booster dramatically cut costs, with each booster powered by 33 engines fueled by methane.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• great
• magnificent
• marvelous
• outstanding
• sensational
• superb
• terrific
• topnotch