superordinate

[ adjective noun soo-per-awr-dn-it; verb soo-per-awr-dn-eyt ]

adjective

1. of higher degree in condition or rank.
2. Logic. (of a universal proposition) related to a particular proposition of the same quality and containing the same terms in the same order.

noun

1. a superordinate person or thing.
2. Linguistics. a term that denotes a general class under which a set of subcategories is subsumed: Compare hyponym.

   “Child” is the superordinate of “girl” and “boy.”

verb (used with object)

, su·per·or·di·nat·ed, su·per·or·di·nat·ing.

1. to elevate to superordinate position.

superordinate

adjective

1. of higher status or condition

noun

1. a person or thing that is superordinate
2. a word the meaning of which includes the meaning of another word or words Compare hyponym synonym antonym

   ``red'' is a superordinate of ``scarlet'', ``vermilion'', and ``crimson''

verb

1. rare.
   tr to make superordinate

Word History and Origins

Origin of superordinate¹

First recorded in 1610–20; super- + (sub)ordinate

Example Sentences

“On the battlefield, they always have to go up to their superordinate commander who then might have to go up to a higher level in order to get clearance,” Barros said.

From Washington Post

“Character is really what we focus on here, and it’s superordinate to the other pillars.”

From Seattle Times

He did so with what Lewis calls a “sense of superordinate destiny”—a conviction that he could still become President.

From The New Yorker

"The only other thing I could think of is to try to bring in the superordinate American identity."

From Salon

One solution might be to appeal to what psychologists call “superordinate identities.”

From Scientific American