superordinate

American  

[soo-per-awr-dn-it, soo-per-awr-dn-eyt] / ˌsu pərˈɔr dn ɪt, ˌsu pərˈɔr dnˌeɪt /

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.

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noun

1. a superordinate person or thing.

2. Linguistics. a term that denotes a general class under which a set of subcategories is subsumed.

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

verb (used with object)

superordinated, superordinating

1. to elevate to superordinate position.

superordinate British  

adjective

1. of higher status or condition

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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

Etymology

Origin of superordinate

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 • Jul. 1, 2022

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

From Seattle Times • Jun. 11, 2020

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

From The New Yorker • Sep. 10, 2018

I wrote last week about the approach of the Robbers Cave study: the creation of superordinate goals that unite former rivals for a single cause.

From Scientific American • Sep. 18, 2012

Indeed, definitions of superordinate classes—Families and Orders—not infrequently give qualities as generally found in the subordinate classes, and at the same time mention exceptional cases in which they do not occur.

From Logic Deductive and Inductive by Read, Carveth