Hypertext Webster Gateway: "superior"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Superior \Su*pe"ri*or\, a. [L., compar. of superus being above,
fr. super above, over: cf. F. sup['e]rieur. See {Super-}, and
cf. {Supreme}.]
1. More elevated in place or position; higher; upper; as, the
superior limb of the sun; the superior part of an image.
2. Higher in rank or office; more exalted in dignity; as, a
superior officer; a superior degree of nobility.
3. Higher or greater in excellence; surpassing others in the
greatness, or value of any quality; greater in quality or
degree; as, a man of superior merit; or of superior
bravery.
4. Beyond the power or influence of; too great or firm to be
subdued or affected by; -- with to.
There is not in earth a spectacle more worthy than a
great man superior to his sufferings. --Spectator.
5. More comprehensive; as a term in classification; as, a
genus is superior to a species.
6. (Bot.)
(a) Above the ovary; -- said of parts of the flower which,
although normally below the ovary, adhere to it, and
so appear to originate from its upper part; also of an
ovary when the other floral organs are plainly below
it in position, and free from it.
(b) Belonging to the part of an axillary flower which is
toward the main stem; posterior.
(c) Pointing toward the apex of the fruit; ascending; --
said of the radicle.
{Superior conjunction}, {Superior planets}, etc. See
{Conjunction}, {Planet}, etc.
{Superior figure}, {Superior letter} (Print.), a figure or
letter printed above the line, as a reference to a note or
an index of a power, etc; as, in x^{2} + y^{n}, 2 is a
superior figure, n a superior letter. Cf. {Inferior
figure}, under {Inferior}.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Superior \Su*pe"ri*or\, n.
1. One who is above, or surpasses, another in rank, station,
office, age, ability, or merit; one who surpasses in what
is desirable; as, Addison has no superior as a writer of
pure English.
2. (Eccl.) The head of a monastery, convent, abbey, or the
like.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
superior
adj 1: of high or superior quality or performance; "superior wisdom
derived from experience"; "superior math students"
[ant: {inferior}]
2: of or characteristic of high rank or importance; "a superior
officer" [ant: {inferior}]
3: (sometimes followed by `to') not subject to or influenced
by; "overcome by a superior opponent"; "trust magnates who
felt themselves superior to law"
4: (printing) written or printed above and to one side of
another character [syn: {superscript}] [ant: {subscript},
{adscript}]
5: (astronomy) having an orbit farther from the sun than the
Earth's orbit; "Mars and Jupiter are the closest in of the
superior planets" [ant: {inferior}]
6: having a higher rank; "superior officer" [syn: {ranking(a)},
{higher-ranking}]
7: (often followed by `to') above being affected or influenced
by; "he is superior to fear"; "an ignited firework
proceeds superior to circumstances until its blazing
vitality fades" [syn: {superior(p)}]
n 1: one of greater rank or station or quality [syn: {higher-up},
{superordinate}] [ant: {inferior}]
2: the head of a religious community
3: a combatant who is able to defeat rivals [syn: {victor}, {master}]
4: the largest freshwater lake in the world; the deepest of the
Great Lakes [syn: {Lake Superior}, {Superior}]
5: a town in northwest Wisconsin on Lake Superior across from
Duluth [syn: {Superior}]
6: a character or symbol set or printed or written above and
immediately to one side of another character [syn: {superscript}]
[ant: {subscript}]
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