Superior

Superior is an adjective meaning higher in position, rank, quality, or physical location, or located above something else. It comes from Latin superior, from super "above." In English it forms phrases such as superior quality or superior to another option. As a noun, "a superior" can denote a person who holds a higher rank within an organization or religious community, such as a monastery's superior.

In geography and toponymy, the term appears in names like Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes by surface area; the name derives from French explorers who called it le lac supérieur. In anatomy, "superior" is a directional term opposite "inferior," used to describe structures toward the head or above another part, e.g., the superior vena cava or the superior articular facet. In law and administration, "superior" designates higher courts or authorities, such as a superior court in many jurisdictions, and in religious orders, a superior is a person in charge.

Usage may carry evaluative nuance: "superior" can imply higher quality or ability, but in some contexts it can convey condescension. Antonyms include inferior and under; related terms include superiority, which denotes the state or quality of being superior, and the prefix super- meaning above.