See Also: superior gingival branches of superior dental plexus(medicine)
superior branch of the superior gluteal artery(medicine)
superior lingular branch of lingular branch of superior lobar left pulmonary artery(medicine)
superior dental branches of superior dental plexus(medicine)
SUPERIOR(law)
Superior(health)
superior(dictionary)
Superior(medicine)
superior costal pit(medicine)
superior tarsus(medicine)

superior (iou)



superior adjective, noun, & adverb. LME.
[Old French superiour (mod. superieur) from Latin superior compar. of superus that is above, from SUPER-: see -IOR.]
A. adjective.
On a higher physical level; situated above; upper. Formerly also, heavenly, celestial. LME.
E. Bishop From our superior vantage point, we can clearly see a..dugout.
b. Astronomy. Of a planet: having its orbit outside that of the earth (as Mars, Jupiter, etc.). L16.
c. Typography. Of a letter, figure, or symbol: written or printed above the line. L17.
d. Anatomy & Biology. Designating a part or organ situated above another (esp. of the same kind), or in a relatively high position. M18.
Higher in degree, rank, quality, importance, authority, etc. (foll. by to); greater or more numerous. Also, of a higher or more refined nature or character, supernatural, superhuman. LME.
R. G. Collingwood In the later nineteenth century the artist walked among us as a superior being. L. Deighton You are my superior officer, Major Stinnes. UnixWorld The photo CD image..is far superior to that provided by digital cameras.
Earlier; former. Long rare or obsolete. M16.
Foll. by to: above yielding to or being influenced by; unaffected by. M17.
M. O. W. Oliphant Strangely superior to her surroundings.
b. Having or displaying a high opinion of oneself; supercilious. M19.
M. Amis I didn't much like his superior tone. I. Murdoch He was always so superior, everywhere the king.
Of high or above average quality etc. L18.
Special collocations & phrases: Father Superior (the title of) the head of a monastery. Lady Superior: see LADY noun & adjective. Mother Superior (the title of) the head of a convent or nunnery. superior conjunction: see CONJUNCTION 2. superior court Law any of the higher courts within a legal system whose decisions have weight as precedents. superior numbers more people; greater (esp. military) force or strength. superior ovary Botany: positioned above the calyx.
b. noun.
A person of superior rank or status; esp. a superior officer or official. LME.
K. Ishiguro To work for an incompetent superior can be a demoralizing experience.
b. The head of a religious community or order. L15.
c. Hist. A person granting tenure of a feudal fee to another. M16.
subject superior a superior who holds as subject of a sovereign.
A person or (occas.) a thing of superior quality, character, etc. Also, a person's elder. M17.
Dickens I am very little your superior in years. B. Jowett No one is the superior of..Socrates in argument.
Typography. A superior letter, figure, or symbol, usu. smaller than the text characters; a superscript. E18.
C. adverb.
In or to a higher position. poet. E18.
In a superior or supercilious manner. literary. E18.
superiorly adverb in a superior place, degree, or manner M16.
superiorship noun (a) rare superiority; (b) the position or office of superior: E18.