superiority

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /səˌpɪriˈɔrəti/ UK /suːˌpɪəriˈɒrəti/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the state of being greater in quality, rank, or ability

Their technological superiority decided the contest.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the state of being greater... supremacy preeminence ascendancy advantage dominance precedence

Opposites

inferiority subordination disadvantage

Word family

Related forms superior super

Etymology

From Medieval Latin superioritas ('higher rank'), from Latin superior ('higher, upper'), comparative of superus ('above'), from super ('over, above').

superioritas Latin super Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# superiority

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /səˌpɪriˈɔrəti/
**IPA (UK):** /suːˌpɪəriˈɒrəti/

## Meanings
1. the state of being greater in quality, rank, or ability

## Examples
- Their technological superiority decided the contest.

## Synonyms
- supremacy
- preeminence
- ascendancy
- advantage
- dominance
- precedence

## Antonyms
- inferiority
- subordination
- disadvantage

## Related Forms
- superior
- super

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: superioritas
- Root: super

## Etymology
From Medieval Latin superioritas ('higher rank'), from Latin superior ('higher, upper'), comparative of superus ('above'), from super ('over, above').

## AI Etymology
Superiority comes from Medieval Latin superioritas ('higher rank'), from Latin superior ('higher, upper'), comparative of superus ('above'), from super ('over, above'). The historical chain includes Latin superioritas and Latin super. The quoted older senses, "higher rank", "higher, upper", "above", and "over, above", supply the semantic anchors for superiority. The formation is best read as borrowed: the word superiority carries its older form-history into a compact English lexical shape. In present English it is used as a noun, "the state of being greater in quality, rank, or ability". Related English forms include superior and super. The result is a noun whose etymology preserves both the older form and the later English specialization.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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