A thousand inferior and particular propositions.
--I. Watts.
The body, or, as some love to call it, our inferior
nature. --Burke.
Whether they are equal or inferior to my other
poems, an author is the most improper judge.
--Dryden.
2. Poor or mediocre; as, an inferior quality of goods.
3. (Astron.)
(a) Nearer the sun than the earth is; as, the inferior or
interior planets; an inferior conjunction of Mercury
or Venus.
(b) Below the horizon; as, the inferior part of a
meridian.
4. (Bot.)
(a) Situated below some other organ; -- said of a calyx
when free from the ovary, and therefore below it, or
of an ovary with an adherent and therefore inferior
calyx.
(b) On the side of a flower which is next the bract;
anterior.
5. (Min.) Junior or subordinate in rank; as, an inferior
officer.
{Inferior court} (Law), a court subject to the jurisdiction
of another court known as the superior, or higher, court.
{Inferior letter}, {Inferior figure} (Print.), a small letter
or figure standing at the bottom of the line (opposed to
{superior letter} or figure), as in A_{2}, B_{n}, 2 and n
are inferior characters.
{Inferior tide}, the tide corresponding to the moon's transit
of the meridian, when below the horizon.
A great person gets more by obliging his inferior than
by disdaining him. --South.